RWBY Redux
by jws381
Summary: Teams RWBY and -NPR are reunited shortly after the events of the Vytal Festival. They must figure out how to move past what happened and what to do next. The culmination of the RWBY Redux Series. Note: This story uses RWBY V3C12 Redux as a base. Without that, much will not make sense. The rest of the Redux Series fics lead into this as well. Dedicated to Monty.
1. Wish You Were Here

**Author's Note:** As stated in the description, this story uses RWBY V3C12 Redux as a base. You should really read that to get some idea of what's going on. The fics _Rekindling_ , _Still Running_ , and _Nothing But Each Other_ tell the story of what happened between RWBY V3C12 Redux and the start of this story, but if shipping's not your cup of tea, they're not entirely necessary. This story will be action-focused but the ships will still sail.

* * *

Chapter 1

It had only been four days since Beacon fell but in that time much had changed. Outside, a previously peaceful world was in chaos. At the Xiao-Long house on Patch there was newfound hope. Ruby had regained consciousness and was already back to living her life, forever changed though it was. Yang had gone from feeling completely hopeless after the loss of her arm to developing a resurgent confidence with the help of a brand new state-of-the-art prosthetic arm and Pyrrha's encouragement. Pyrrha could still not shake the feeling that everything was her fault but with Yang's help she had at least come to terms with the situation.

Taiyang returned home late. He usually cooked fresh meals but tonight dinner would be store-bought, a major step down from his stellar cooking. Still, it was something of an occasion. It was the first time Yang was taking dinner outside her room with everyone else. Previously she had been too depressed by her loss and embarrassed by her clumsiness, but with her new prosthetic she could put that behind her. Just before everyone sat down to eat, Ruby and Qrow returned from Signal where they had spent the day.

"We're home!" Ruby exclaimed.

"We come bearing gifts." Qrow added.

Taiyang, Yang and Pyrrha met the pair in the main room. Ruby reached into the box she had been carrying. "Behold, Ember Celica 2.0." She announced. She picked up the weapon and handed it to Yang. It looked and felt just like the original, but this one had attachment points for mounting it to her prosthetic.

"Wow, you work quick." Yang said. She slid the weapon into position and with a little twist it clicked into place. It would require a few screws to hold for combat situations.

"Well, it is just one of your originals with some slight modifications." Ruby admitted. "It should operate the same way."

"Thanks, I really appreciate this." Yang said. She stepped forward and wrapped Ruby in a crushing embrace. Ruby squirmed in an attempt to escape but with her prosthetic Yang's hugs were even tighter. "This'll go a long way to making things feel normal."

"Don't mention it." Ruby gasped, struggling to breathe. Finally Yang released her and she struggled to catch her breath.

"I got you something too." Qrow said. He handed Yang a box. Yang opened it and inside were several dust crystals. "You're going to need to change the crystal in your arm every once in awhile, so I cut some crystals for you. You're not going to find them in stores."

"Thanks Uncle Qrow, I didn't even think about that." Yang said.

"I'm working on another surprise but I didn't get it finished in time." Ruby said. Whatever it was she was clearly excited about it. "I'll have to go back to Signal tomorrow to wrap it up."

"Oh, sorry kiddo, I can't." Qrow said. "I have some business to attend to in Vale."

"That's okay, I guess it can wait." Ruby sighed.

"I can go with you." Taiyang offered. "I'm sure Pyrrha and Yang will be fine on their own and I don't have any plans."

"Really?" Ruby said. "Awesome!" She literally jumped for joy.

"It's really good to see you all happy like this." Taiyang said. "I wasn't sure I ever would."

"You think they're happy now?" Qrow laughed. "Wait until tomorrow. I'm working on a surprise of my own." Taiyang narrowed his eyes at Qrow. He knew he should be suspicious whenever Qrow said something cryptic like that. Qrow noticed the look but gave nothing away.

"Well, it sounds like it'll be a big day." Taiyang finally said, still eying Qrow. "But for now it's time to eat."

* * *

The following day started much as the previous one had. Yang and Pyrrha spent their time working out. Their early morning jog covered more distance and they spent more time sparring. After that Pyrrha did some general exercising while Yang tried out Ember Celica in conjunction with her prosthetic. It felt strange and she would probably have to make some tweaks, but she would get used to it. Everyone else was off somewhere else. Taiyang and Ruby were at Signal and Qrow had his mysterious trip to Vale.

Taiyang and Ruby returned a little after midday, just after Yang and Pyrrha had finished eating lunch. Ruby entered the house carrying a large, flat, roughly square box while Taiyang carried a box that was just as large and unwieldy but elongated in shape. Both had bows wrapped around them, clearly the surprise Ruby had promised.

"What did you get me today?" Yang asked.

"Sorry, they're not for you." Ruby replied. "They're actually for Pyrrha."

"For me?" Pyrrha gasped. "I don't know what to say."

"Just open them." Ruby said. Pyrrha sat down on the couch and Ruby placed her box on the coffee table in front of her. It was bigger than the table. Taiyang leaned his box against the side of the couch. Pyrrha undid the ribbon on Ruby's box and opened the top. Inside was a shield. It looked like her shield but was larger. "Open the other one too!" Ruby exclaimed before Pyrrha could react.

Pyrrha opened the end of the long box and reached inside. She pulled out what looked to be a copy of her recently destroyed weapon. "You made these for me?" She asked. Ruby nodded. "I can't thank you enough. It's really too much. I should have been the one to construct it."

"With all you've done to help me and Yang I wanted to give you a gift." Ruby explained. "At first I was just going to reconstruct your weapon and smooth the dents out of your shield, but I ended up totally redesigning both."

Pyrrha held her new weapon aloft and switched it from its spear form to sword, to rifle and back. It worked just the way she remembered but it felt lighter for some reason. The balance was a little different too. It also appeared to be bored for a larger caliber. "This isn't exactly like the original design." Pyrrha said. "But I like it."

"I'm glad you like the improvements I made." Ruby said. "Qrow brought me what was left of the original. The metal in it wasn't the best quality and the balance was a little off, so I corrected that in the new one. With you shield I used the same lighter alloy so it could be bigger without being heavier. They should still both work with your semblance too."

"I knew Milo and Akouo weren't perfect." Pyrrha said. "I worked with what I had in Mistral. Once they were good enough I just worked on improving my technique to make up for the deficiencies."

"Now you'll be even stronger." Yang said. "Ruby should really make everyone's weapons. She's incredible."

"Incredible doesn't begin to describe this." Pyrrha said. "How can I ever repay you?"

"As good a friend as you've been, you already have." Ruby replied.

"Looks like we can get into some real training now." Yang said. "Things are getting interesting." They were about to get far more interesting than expected.

* * *

The trees around the Xiao-Long house were pockmarked with holes and gouges. There were no better target dummies available. Using her full strength, Yang could easily turn the hardiest tree into splinters, but holding back a bit she could test her weapons and practice her technique without obliterating the target. Left-right-left-right, she repeatedly blasted a tree with punch after punch as Ruby watched. Ruby had some ideas on how to improve Ember Celica and watching Yang use her weapons up close was the best way to refine the concepts. Yang also needed to get used to using Ember Celica in conjunction with her prosthetic.

"Phoenix Wing." Yang said after a few punches.

"What?" Ruby asked.

"I think I've got a name for my arm." Yang replied. "Phoenix Wing."

"That's a cool name." Ruby said.

"I need to come up with names for my new weapons." Pyrrha said. She threw her spear at a tree with a target cut into it. It hit dead center. She retrieved her spear using her semblance and threw it again. Another perfect throw. If Ruby's balance changes required adjustment to Pyrrha's technique, she already had it down.

"Why not just call them Milo and Akouo?" Ruby asked. "They're pretty much the same."

"They look the same but they're not." Pyrrha said. "You know that, you made them. They're just a little bit better in every way but it makes them feel like totally new weapons." She swung her spear around as it converted to its rifle form. "Pull." She said. Taiyang rapidly tossed a trio of metal targets into the air. Really they were just soup can lids with circles drawn on them. Crack-crack-crack! Then a split-second later. Ping-ping-ping! The targets landed and Pyrrha collected them with her semblance. Each had perfectly centered bullet hole. "I wish the recoil was a little gentler."

"I can rechamber it for a smaller caliber." Ruby offered.

"No, the stopping power will be important." Pyrrha said. "I'll just have to get used to it." She slipped her weapon onto her back and stood with her shield in front of her. "Ruby, hit me." Ruby unfolded Crescent Rose, slamming the blade into the ground in Pyrrha's direction. Pyrrha crouched behind her shield as Ruby fired a series of shots. With slight adjustments Pyrrha blocked the shots with the center of the shield. "Aegis." Pyrrha said. "I'll call the shield Aegis. It means protection."

"That's a solid name." Yang said. "What about the blade?"

Pyrrha thought for a moment and frowned. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Ruber Mors." She said.

"That doesn't sound like a name you'd use." Ruby said. "It does sound familiar though. What does it mean?"

"Red Death." Pyrrha replied.

"Wait a minute, Jaune's sword was Crocea Mors." Yang said.

"Yellow Death." Pyrrha confirmed. "I think it's a fitting tribute."

"His death wasn't your fault." Yang said.

"Maybe it was and maybe it wasn't." Pyrrha sighed. "He was my teammate and my friend. Every enemy I vanquish will honor his memory."

Yang walked over to Pyrrha and put her hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. "Are you sure about this?" Yang asked. "You don't need to bring up bad memories whenever you look at your weapon."

"It's fine." Pyrrha assured her. "Whatever the names, whenever I pick up my weapons I'll remember everything that happened."

"I feel like I have to say this way too much." Yang said. "You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened at Beacon." Yang looked her in the eyes. "I'm worried about you."

"I've come to terms with it." Pyrrha said. "And I know what I have to do next."

"What's that?" Yang asked.

"I need to become the hero I wasn't able to be then." Pyrrha replied. "I might have to work at it for the rest of my life, but it's what I need to do."

"I'll be right there with you, every step of the way." Yang promised.

"Me too." Ruby added.

"Don't forget us!" Nora exclaimed.

"Nora?" Pyrrha gasped as she spun around to look. Sure enough there was Nora, along with Ren, Weiss and Blake. Qrow stood a little behind them. "I'm so happy to see all of you!" Nora ran up and hugged Pyrrha, almost knocking her over in the process.

"It's good to see you too." Ren said. He held out his hand and Pyrrha shook it, despite still being trapped in Nora's embrace.

"I told you I'd find them." Qrow said. "Some were easier to track down than others."

Weiss and Blake approached slowly. Ruby lunged forward and hugged Weiss. "I'm so happy you're back!" She yelled.

"Let go of my you dolt!" Weiss protested. She managed to pry Ruby off. "It is nice to be here though."

"Yang I'm sorry...I'm...so sorry." Blake sobbed. She hugged Yang.

Yang draped an arm over Blake's back but there was no enthusiasm. "Yeah, good to have you back." She said. Blake could not see but Yang's eyes flashed red for a moment before fading to their usual violet.

Taiyang pulled Qrow away. It would give the kids the chance to catch up and in any case he and Qrow needed to talk. "What are you doing Qrow?" Taiyang demanded.

"I'm reuniting the teams." Qrow replied. "You want your daughters to be happy. I thought bringing their friends here might help with that."

"You could have left them where they were and had the girls go to them." Taiyang said.

"That wasn't really an option." Qrow said. "They're all homeless right now. Weiss is running from her father, Blake is just running, and for Ren and Nora Beacon was the only home they had."

"So take them to Signal." Taiyang said. "It's closed because of the crisis so it's almost empty."

"Do you really want me to stick them in a big empty dorm?" Qrow asked. "They'll be happier here."

"You keep saying this is about happiness." Taiyang said. "Yang and Ruby's happiness, their friends' happiness, but I don't believe you. You have something else in mind. What is it?"

"I don't care if you believe me or not." Qrow said. "I'm doing what's best for everyone."

"Which everyone are you talking about?" Taiyang asked. "Them, or you and your cabal."

"It doesn't matter." Qrow deflected the question. "They want to be here."

"We don't have the beds." Taiyang protested.

"There are air mattresses in the closet." Qrow said. "The house has plenty of floor space." He took a sip from his flask. "Why did you become a Huntsman?"

"I don't see how that's relevant." Taiyang said.

"Humor me." Qrow said.

"I wanted to help people." Taiyang said. "I assume that's why most people do it."

"Well, here's your chance to help some people." Qrow said. "They're kids and they need a home. They need each other."

"Fine." Taiyang relented. "I still think you're up to something, and I swear, if you put my daughters in danger again I will kill you with my bare hands."

"Don't worry about the girls." Qrow said. "You know I'd never put them at risk."

"So why is my daughter missing an arm?" Taiyang hissed.

"Because Jimmy decided she needed to be put under house arrest and I was ordered to Vale." Qrow said. "I can't be everywhere at once. If they're all here, you can keep an eye on them. Isn't that what you want? To have your girls at home, safe with you?"

Taiyang narrowed his eyes at Qrow. "This isn't over." Taiyang said.

"You're right." Qrow said. "It isn't."

* * *

For the most part it had been a joyous reunion. Pyrrha was thrilled to be reunited with what remained of her team. Ruby was ecstatic to see her friends again. She did not even care why Blake had left, just that she was back. Then there was Yang. She had given the warmest of welcomes to Weiss, Ren and Nora but did her best to ignore Blake. She was obviously still angry.

Blake and Weiss were set up in Ruby's room. Ruby volunteered to move to the couch and Pyrrha moved to an air mattress on the floor of Yang's room. Ren and Nora had air mattresses on the floor of a room previously used for storage. It was an acceptable arrangement for all involved and for most of them far better than what they would otherwise have. After dinner they retired to their rooms to sleep. It had been a big day and they were happy to get some rest.

Blake knew she would not be able to sleep. She felt guilty about what had happened to Yang, guilty about running away. She had expected Yang to be angry with her. Instead Yang hardly reacted to her at all. It was somehow worse. It was as if Yang had given up on her. Blake wished she had one of her books to read but as it was all she could do was sit there and think.

"What's wrong?" Weiss asked. She was just settling down to go to sleep.

"Nothing." Blake replied. "I'm just not tired."

"The bags under your eyes tell me you're lying." Weiss said. "Talk to me."

"It's Yang." Blake sighed. "I knew she wouldn't be thrilled to see me after what I did, but...I guess I wasn't expecting it to be this bad."

"I know what you mean." Weiss said. "She treated you like you didn't even exist."

"I deserve it." Blake said. "First she lost her arm because of me. Then I ran."

"I don't think she cares much about her arm." Weiss said. "I know that wasn't your fault. She knows it wasn't your fault. She's just angry because you left."

"I know." Blake said. "But what am I supposed to do about it?"

"Tell her why you ran." Weiss answered. "If she knows the reason I'm sure she'll understand. She still won't be happy but it's a start. I felt betrayed when you left but when you told me why I was able to accept it. I'm still annoyed, but hey, here we are."

"I guess it's worth a shot." Blake said. "I'll try to talk to her tomorrow."

"Go now." Weiss suggested. "You're not going to sleep if you keep worrying about it."

"Maybe you're right." Blake sighed. "I'll see if she's still awake."

* * *

Pyrrha and Yang were chatting when Blake appeared in the doorway. "Hello Blake." Pyrrha said. "Is something the matter?"

"Hey." Yang said emotionlessly. Pyrrha frowned at Yang's reaction. Seeing the formerly close friends this way hurt her too.

"I need to talk to Yang." Blake said. "In private."

"Of course." Pyrrha said. She got up and headed for the door.

"What if I don't want to talk to you?" Yang said. "What if I just want you to leave?"

"Yang, please." Pyrrha said. "At least hear her out. For me."

"Fine." Yang relented. Pyrrha left the room and closed the door behind her.

"What do you want?" Yang asked. Her face was contorted with anger and her eyes burned red. Her fists were clenched so tightly that the knuckles on her left hand were bleach-white.

"I want to apologize." Blake said.

"I'm sure you do." Yang hissed. "You're good for two things: apologizing and letting me down. The next time you run away, don't come back."

"I'm not going to run again." Blake said.

"That's what you said the last time." Yang said. "I'm sick of it."

"I had to run." Blake protested. "I couldn't put everyone in danger."

"What are you talking about?" Yang asked.

"I'm talking about Adam." Blake replied. "He said he was going to destroy everything I love. That started with you but he wasn't done. If I stayed he would have come back to finish you off. Then he would have gone after Ruby and Weiss too."

"If it's so dangerous, why are you even here?" Yang asked. "Or are you lying to me?"

"I'm here because...I'm not good at hiding." Blake sighed. "Weiss found me. Then Adam found and captured us. The only reason we're not dead is because Qrow showed up to save us. Weiss wouldn't let me leave after that."

"Why do you listen to Weiss but not me?" Yang asked.

"Because I...she...we talked after Qrow rescued us." Blake stammered. She was not quite ready to reveal the full extent of her relationship with Weiss.

"So you two finally admitted how you feel about each other." Yang said. "Good for you. It's about damn time." It may have been the most hostile congratulations Blake had ever experienced. "You've got her. Why do you care about what I think?"

"Because we were friends." Blake replied. "I don't want that to change. You might be the first person I ever really trusted after leaving the White Fang."

"If you're my friend, if you trusted me, you shouldn't have run." Yang said. "As far as I'm concerned, you're not my friend."

"I know." Blake said, tears rolling down her face. "I know I messed up, bad." She tried to compose herself but failed. "I know I don't deserve it, but could you ever forgive me?"

"I'll think about it." Yang conceded. "But it's going to be hard for me to trust you again."

"Thank you." Blake said. She wiped the tears from her face only for them to be immediately replaced by new ones. "I understand." She turned and walked to the door. She looked back but Yang had already turned away and was staring out the window.

Blake met Pyrrha in the hallway. "I'm sure Yang will come around." Pyrrha said, giving Blake a hug. "Just give her time."

"I hope you're right." Blake said. She returned to her room and lay down in her bed.

"How did it go?" Weiss asked.

"It could have been worse." Blake sighed. "I don't deserve her forgiveness, not after everything that's happened."

"If I forgave you, she can forgive you." Weiss said.

* * *

"What did you say to her?" Pyrrha asked as she returned to Yang's room.

On seeing Pyrrha, Yang's eyes returned to their usual violet. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"She was crying." Pyrrha said.

"I told her I might forgive her." Yang explained. "But I made it clear that I'm still angry with her and that I can't trust her right now."

"That's understandable, but...just give her a chance." Pyrrha said. "After what happened she's hurting, just like we are. When we're under stress like that, we do things we regret. I know…"

"She should have come to us, her friends." Yang said. "She promised that if something was wrong she would. I don't care how good her excuses are, she lied to us. It makes me wonder what else she's lied to us about."

"She probably blames herself for what happened to you." Pyrrha pointed out. "How could she go to you? You're a constant reminder of her failures."

"I know a little about constant reminders." Yang said. She held her prosthetic arm out toward Pyrrha. "I can't run away from mine."

"But you would if you could." Pyrrha said. "Maybe not now, but that first day. I was there to see how much you were suffering. If there was any running for me, I would have run too, but everything's in my head and I can't run from my memories."

"You've got a point." Yang admitted. "I'll give her a chance." Her eyes briefly flashed red again. "But this is the last time."

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I have a few chapters of this written but I'm not sure how long I'll go with this story. I'm just not enjoying writing it all that much. I also haven't figured out what happens in the middle, though I do have the end figured out. It might just come down to me doing a time-skip halfway through and skipping straight to the end. Or maybe it'll become more fun to write as my mood shifts and I'll end up with another epic like Volume 3 of RWBY-YYRN. I suppose only time will tell.


	2. Fearless

**Author's Note:** I'm on vacation until Monday night so it may take me extra time to respond to any comments.

* * *

Chapter 2

The following day effectively turned the Xiao-Long house into the new Beacon. Seven warriors focused on their training. The morning started with a long run through the forests around the house. Pyrrha and Yang had been doing that for two days already and were now joined by the rest. After that it was time for unarmed sparring and impromptu weight training. There were no proper weights to lift, but there were plenty of heavy objects in and around the house. Then came lunch. Taiyang put together a suitable meal, high in carbs and protein, that also happened to taste great. Cooking for the large group was a challenge, but one he had no serious difficulty with.

In the afternoon it was time for weapons practice. Yang and Pyrrha went back to abusing the local trees, today joined by Blake and Ruby. If they were not careful to restrain themselves, deforesting the area would soon become a real concern. Weiss focused on her glyphs and fenced an imaginary opponent. She tried to summon something to fight, but found it impossible without the stress of real combat. Ren set up an agility and shooting course for himself in the forest. He scattered small targets around then leapt from tree to tree shooting them. Nora went with brute force. The flora was clearly no match for her, so she set about reducing some rock outcrops to gravel with Magnhild.

It was not normal, but it was a routine the group could imagine becoming normal. Beacon was gone forever as far as they were concerned but they could live their lives. They all dreamed of becoming proper Huntsmen and Huntresses, and that could still happen even without professional guidance. Today Qrow stuck around and supervised. He made the occasional comment. "Nice form Ruby." "Bend your knees more Blake." "Nora, watch the shrapnel." Taiyang was there too but remained silent. He was still suspicious of Qrow's motives. A call he received on his scroll that afternoon only reinforced his concerns.

"I got an interesting call today." Taiyang said to Qrow.

"Yeah, what about?" Qrow asked. He took a sip from his flask.

"Apparently there have been a lot of Grimm sightings nearby." Taiyang replied. "Since last night as a matter of fact."

"Grimm wander around here all the time." Qrow said. "That's why you set up the alarms."

"Not this many." Taiyang replied. "Not since Ruby first woke up. Then it made sense. Yang was at her lowest point, Ruby was not much better, and who knows what was going through Pyrrha's head. It was all weighing on me pretty heavily too."

"What are you getting at?" Qrow asked. He took another sip, longer this time.

"We know Grimm are attracted to negative thoughts." Taiyang said. "Pain, fear, despair. It seems there's been a sudden spike since you brought four broken individuals to my house."

"I guess I underestimated how much of a difference they would make." Qrow shrugged. "I held off on bringing them until things were more settled with Yang, Ruby and Pyrrha. I guess I should have waited longer."

"Don't give me that crap Qrow, you knew exactly what you were doing." Taiyang accused. "Don't bother denying it. You went out this morning to clear the Grimm out. What are you up to?"

"I'm not up to anything." Qrow said. "I brought them here because it's the best thing for everyone, like I said yesterday. Their dark thoughts will clear up faster if they're among friends. Until then I'll deal with the Grimm. If you want, you can help out."

"You're a bad liar." Taiyang said. "For one, I can already tell you're building an army. Your assistance in their training tells me that. I can't imagine a sane purpose for that right now. The one thing I can't figure out is why you'd do that here. You could take them to Signal to train. It's much safer and the facilities are far better. They'd have real targets there. And don't give me crap about it being empty and lonely."

"I know you're being protective of your daughters." Qrow said. "You want them to lay down their weapons and be like normal kids their age. You want them to be safe at home with you. Well guess what? That's never going to happen. And that's not because of me or Ozpin or anyone other than them. They won't stop and there's nothing anyone can do about it. They're going to put themselves in harm's way. They're going to fight monsters. That's the choice they made. That's what makes them feel alive."

"It's too dangerous." Taiyang sighed. "I can't risk losing them too."

"You're right, it is dangerous." Qrow said. "It was dangerous when we were their age too but that didn't stop us. Do you think your parents could have stopped you? Of course not. All I'm doing is making sure they're ready. When the time comes, and it will come, and the danger is real, they need to be ready. Being ready goes beyond their skills. They need to be ready body and mind. If they're not, they won't last long. Not with the world the way it is now."

"I don't want you putting them in danger." Taiyang said.

"I already told you, if I don't they'll do it themselves." Qrow said. "If they're here where you and I can watch them, we can make sure they're not in too much danger. We can step in if things go wrong. If we try to stop them they'll just run away, and then who will protect them?"

"I will kill you if anything happens to them." Taiyang threatened. He was making that threat a lot lately. "That includes their friends too. They trust you. Don't abuse that trust the way Ozpin did."

"I'm not Ozpin." Qrow said. He drained what was left in his flask. "I won't watch passively while the world burns. I don't know why he did what he did, but I will not repeat the mistake."

* * *

The doorbell rang. Since word had reached Atlas of Weiss' probable death at the hands of the White Fang, a steady stream of friends, family and business associates had been stopping at the Schnee estate to offer their condolences. No one else was around to answer the door, so Winter walked over. She took a deep breath, put on a brave face and opened the door. Instead of a mourner, it was a courier. "Package for Winter Schnee." The courier said.

"That's me." Winter said.

"For your eyes only." The courier said. He handed her the package and rushed off before she could ask any questions.

Winter closed the door and looked around. There was no one nearby so she opened the package. Inside was a data disk. Whatever was on it was surely important so she immediately headed for her room. She loaded the disk into her computer and a video automatically started to play.

The video opened in a small window and it was initially difficult to make out what was happening. To further complicate things, there was no sound. Winter enlarged it and though it was a bit grainy, she could now easily tell what she was looking at. Weiss, bruised and bloody, was tied to a chair. Her teammate Blake was in similar condition and tied to a chair across from her. A man stepped into frame. He had horns on his head and wore a White Fang mask. All became clear.

The White Fang liked to film its torture sessions and executions, then send the videos to the families of the victims. It was another way to spread terror. Winter was watching video of her sister's death. She moved to turn it off but stopped herself. Something about the situation was wrong. First off, the White Fang didn't deliver videos via courier. That made them too easy to track. They generally preferred the tie it to a brick and throw it through a window method. Second, they would never want to limit the audience. The courier had indicated it was for Winter only. She forced herself to keep watching.

The man undid the binds around Blake's wrists and handed her a gun. Clearly he wanted her to execute her teammate. It was strange. The White Fang usually revelled in prolonged torture. There must have been something else going on but without sound it was impossible to tell. Blake and the man argued. The man stepped behind Weiss and pulled her head back by the hair, holding a knife to her face. More arguing. The man let go looking disappointed. Blake and Weiss leaned toward each other. Blake held the gun to her own head at an angle that would hit them both.

The door exploded off its hinges and a figure quickly flew in and out of frame. The man with Weiss and Blake looked up and drew his sword. He was about to execute the girls when a figure came rushing through the door and caught his blade with one of his own. Winter recognized the savior. It was Qrow! Qrow and the man from the White Fang fought briefly while Blake toppled her and Weiss' chairs to the floor to get out of the line of fire. The man from the White Fang fled. Qrow cut the binds that held Blake and Weiss in place. He retrieved their weapons and helped them up. There was a brief conversation. Weiss grabbed her scroll and smeared blood on it before tossing it on the ground. Then the trio departed.

The video cut to static before switching to a view of Qrow. There was sound now. "Sorry we made you think your sister was dead." Qrow said. As always, he was drunk. "She didn't want to be found and the best way to get her old man to stop looking was to make him think there was nothing to find. Don't worry about her, she's safe and with her friends. When things settle down a bit she'll be in touch. See you later Ice Queen." Qrow winked and the video ended.

"Qrow you son-of-a-bitch." Winter grumbled under her breath. "I don't know if I should kiss you or kill you. Maybe both."

* * *

The following afternoon training went on as it had the day before. There were a few shifts of focus but the combatants mostly stuck to what they had been working on previously. There was no adult supervision this time as Taiyang and Qrow both had business to attend to and were away from the house. That did not make the training any less productive though, if anything the students were more motivated than the teachers.

Everything came to a screeching halt as a deafening, high-pitched alarm sounded. "What's that?!" Pyrrha shouted over the din. The group all rushed together, unsure of what was happening.

"The Grimm alarm!" Yang replied. Ruby rushed to an electrical box on the side of the house and switched the alarm off. "That's the Grimm alarm." Yang continued. "My dad set up sensors around the forest to let us know if anything was getting close."

"Should we be worried?" Blake asked.

"It was probably just an animal." Ruby said. "We get a lot of false alarms."

Soon the group could hear the sound of rapidly approaching footfalls. "Maybe it's not a false alarm." Weiss said. She held Myrtenaster at the ready and faced the approaching noise.

Qrow came rushing out of the forest and headed straight for the group. As he reached them he fell to one knee. He was breathing heavily and appeared to be bleeding from his side. "We've got Grimm incoming." He warned. "Lots of them. I thinned them out a bit but there are too many for just me."

"You heard him!" Ruby said. "Get ready for a fight!" She turned her attention to her uncle. "Are you going to be alright?"

"I'll be fine kiddo." Qrow replied. "I just need a minute. And a drink." Ruby hesitated at his side while the others took up positions facing the direction from which he had come. "Don't worry about me! Get over there and fight!"

"Right." Ruby nodded. She charged off and joined the others.

* * *

"You're a madman." Taiyang said.

"You may be right." Qrow said.

"I will not have my yard become a warzone." Taiyang said.

"Where would you rather they fight?" Qrow asked. "I can lead them far away. Would that be better?"

"No, but…" Taiyang started.

"Trust me." Qrow said. "I'll make sure nothing happens to them. I'll even make sure your house doesn't get wrecked. I'll lure the Grimm in so they cluster up on the north side where there will be the most space between the treeline and the house. Then I'll thin them out a bit to make sure it's not too much. I come by playing injured, warn them, and they save the day. If things take a turn for the worse, you show up and pull their asses out of the fire."

"Is this really necessary?" Taiyang sighed.

"The last fight these kids have in their heads is a loss, and a catastrophic one at that." Qrow said. "It's eating them up inside. As long as that's the last fight they had, they'll never get better. They need something to boost morale, something to celebrate. Offing a few Grimm kills two birds with one stone."

Taiyang mumbled something about killing birds. "I'm staying nearby." He said. "I'm stepping in at the first sign of trouble."

"You do what you have to." Qrow shrugged. "Just remember, they need this and they need it to be their victory."

* * *

Ruby took up a position in the center of the defensive line with Weiss on her left and Yang on her right. To the right of Yang were Blake and Pyrrha, to the left of Weiss were Ren and Nora. The seven formed a shallow arc across the field between the treeline and the house, enough distance between them to allow each room to fight. There was a dull rumble accompanied by the snapping of twigs, the rustling of foliage and the occasional roar. The Grimm were closing in. Ruby swung Crescent Rose around, the weapon unfolding as she did, and slammed the blade into the ground with the muzzle aimed at the forest. The others took their stances and waited.

The first Grimm to emerge were Creeps. They were small and fast, easily able to navigate the dense foliage, but they were weak. There were dozens but they faced a firing line. Shots from Ruby's sniper rifle tore through multiple targets, Nora's grenade launcher blew clusters to pieces, sweeps from Ren's auto-pistols mowed them down and even at range Yang's shotguns were deadly. A few bodies flopped to the ground past the treeline but none made it out of the forest alive. The last few stragglers were easily picked off. It was only just the start. With their easily identifiable howls and roars echoing through the forest, the next Grimm to arrive were Beowolves. Some were felled by the defenders' bullets but they were stronger than the Creeps and almost just as numerous. The pack soon closed and it became a melee fight.

Ruby swung Crescent Rose back and launched herself forward. Her trailing blade sliced a Beowolf in two before she skidded to a stop and brought the weapon swinging around into another, bashing it in the midsection with the side of the shaft. She immediately fired. The blade slammed back and bisected the Grimm as the shot she fired blew the head off another.

Yang delivered an Ember Celica boosted punch from her Phoenix Wing to a Beowolf's chest. Her fist passed cleanly through it and burst out its back. She charged forward with the Beowolf's corpse still on her arm then stopped short. The corpse kept going and hit another Grimm, knocking it off its feet. Yang punched the downed beast's chin and the top of its head exploded in a spray of black and red. Another Beowolf slashed at her from the side. She caught its claws on Phoenix wing, spun around and punched it in the side of the head with her left, separating its head from its shoulders.

Blake lunged forward and ran a Beowolf through the chest with her blade. With a violent upward motion she ripped the weapon free as the dead monster dropped, almost split in half. Immediately another Beowolf swiped at her with its razor-sharp claws, but it got only her shadow. She pumped three bullets into it before lopping off its head with a spin. Another leapt at her but she dropped it with a single headshot before throwing her blade to hit a Beowolf that was attacking Yang squarely in the back.

Pyrrha thrust her spear up through a Beowolf's chin as it attacked her, the blade emerging from the top of its head. Another leapt at her but she lifted her shield and bashed it in the face. The Grimm staggered back, Pyrrha freed her spear from its fellow, then threw it. It penetrated the stunned Beowolf's chest, pushed it back, and impaled another behind it as well. With her semblance Pyrrha retrieved her weapon, only to throw it again, ending another beast.

Weiss did not wait for the Beowolves to come to her. She skated forward on her glyphs, running Myrtenaster through a pair of monsters. She leapt back as a third lunged at her then lanced a line of fire at it. The Beowolf burst into flames, squealing in agony as it flailed before falling dead. Ruby had missed one and Weiss was suddenly under attack from the flank. She drew a column of ice out of the ground that caught the attacker midair. With a strike the ice shattered and the Beowolf with it.

Ren ducked as a Beowolf slashed at his head. He hooked the beast under the chin with his blade and threw it at another that charged at him. The pair tumbled to the ground and Ren pounced, decapitating one with each of his weapons. Another attacked him from the side but Ren edged toward it, and caught it by the wrist. With one blade he severed its arm, then used his newly free hand to drag a blade across its throat.

Nora hit the first Beowolf squarely in the chest with her hammer. It exploded into a cloud of body parts. Keeping Magnhild in motion she slammed it down atop another's head, smashing it into the ground. Now using her hammer as a pivot she pole-vaulted into a kick that knocked one Beowolf into a pair of its fellows, taking them all to the ground. Nora converted her weapon to its grenade launcher form and blew the trio to smithereens. Then with Magnhild back as a hammer, she twirled around, obliterating Grimm as she made her way down the line in front of the other defenders.

By the time Nora reached the end of her path of destruction there were no Beowolves left standing. A few had survived and though broken and wounded on the ground they kept trying to attack. The defenders executed them with cold efficiency. Bullets were not to be wasted when a quick stab could do the job just as well.

"That wasn't so bad." Weiss said. She was a little out of breath but the day's earlier workouts had been more taxing.

"How do you not hear that?" Blake asked.

"Hear what?" Pyrrha asked.

"This isn't over." Blake warned. Soon they could all hear it, stomping, growing louder with every hit. Something big was coming. Maybe more than one something.


	3. Coming Back To Life

Chapter 3

The pounding, rumbling sound got louder. It was accompanied by the thunder of falling trees. Finally the group could see what they were up against. Ursai, and Majors at that. Four of them. They were huge and covered in white armored plates. One would be a tough fight. With four it was going to be a real battle.

"Pyrrha, can you take one on you own?" Ruby asked.

"I can try." Pyrrha said.

"Good." Ruby said. "Everyone take one with your teammate." She turned to her left. "Ready Weiss?"

"I'm always ready." Weiss said.

"We've got this!" Nora exclaimed. Ren nodded.

"Yang?" Blake said sheepishly.

"Let's get this over with." Yang sighed.

* * *

While the students were distracted with their fight Qrow had slipped away to join Taiyang. The pair looked on from a concealed position atop a nearby hill. As they kids had fought through the Creeps and Beowolves, Taiyang displayed increasing discomfort. As the Ursai arrived he was near a panic.

"Majors, they can't." Taiyang protested. "It's time to end this."

"Give them a chance." Qrow said. He grabbed Taiyang's arm to make sure he did not rush off to help. "They can handle it."

"I can't handle it!" Taiyang shouted. "This is insane!"

"Trust me." Qrow implored. "They've got this."

* * *

Pyrrha wanted space. The last thing she needed was to be fighting two Majors at the same time. She leveled her rifle and took a few shots at the Ursa closest to her. They did not seem to do any real damage but they sure made the creature mad. It roared and charged after her. She led it to the right, away from the others. Once she felt it was far enough she turned to face it. The Major was closer than expected. She lifted her shield just in time for the beast to barrel into it. Pyrrha was lifted off the ground and sailed through the air. She adjusted midair before planting her feet against a tree. She pushed off and rocketed back toward the Grimm. Flying spear first she slammed into the Ursa, sinking her blade into its chest. It was less than impressed. With a swipe of its claw she was sent tumbling across the ground.

* * *

Ren got the attention of the Ursa on the opposite end from Pyrrha's. Nora dashed off ahead of him as he led it into the forest to their left. There was a clearing nearby where they could fight it without interference. Ren ducked through the foliage with the Major in hot pursuit. The Grimm snapped trees like toothpicks as it raced after its target. Ren burst into the clearing. Nora was already there, standing in the middle. As Ren raced past her Nora leveled her grenade launcher. She fired a rapid series of shots at the onrushing beast. The grenades exploded in quick succession, obscuring the view with smoke. Unfazed, the Ursa burst out of the cloud and lowered its shoulder, slamming into Nora and sending her rolling across the field. Ren had circled around and attacked the Grimm from the side. He leapt onto its back and repeatedly stabbed it in the back of the neck. He moved this way and that as it struggled to reach him. Eventually the Grimm got its man. It grasped Ren in its claw slammed him straight into the ground.

* * *

Weiss used her glyphs to create walls of ice that sent one of the Ursai in her and Ruby's direction. Once it was sufficiently separated from the others, Weiss laid down a patch of ice on the ground. The Major slipped and slid toward the waiting pair. Ruby coiled up, fired Crescent Rose and spun around, lashing at the out-of-control Grimm with her blade. Her scythe hooked the Ursa's side and failed to penetrate the armor. The Major was still in motion, and dragged Ruby with it. A backhand slap from its paw knocked her away. Weiss skated in on her glyphs, lancing fire at the beast as she approached. Once close she encased its feet in ice and slid around behind the creature to stab at its back. After a few stabs the monster roared, wrenched free of the ice and spun to face her. Weiss tried to back away but the Ursa was too quick and sent her flying with a swipe of its claw.

* * *

Yang charged straight at the final Major as soon as it cleared the trees. Blake waited behind her, firing Gambol Shroud at it as a distraction. Yang reached the Ursa, ducked under its initial attack, and hit it in the jaw with an Ember Celica boosted uppercut from Phoenix Wing. The beast staggered back as Yang's momentum carried her into the air. She kept firing, all the way up and back down. The Major lost track of Yang's flight but caught site of Blake. It charged at her. She backflipped out of the way, leaving shadows behind for the Ursa to hit instead. Blake stopped her retreat and launched herself at the monster. She slashed at its calves as she dove between its legs. It quickly spun around and slammed its colossal fist down atop her. Yang charged in now but the Grimm saw her coming. With an almost casual swipe it sent her sailing through the air. Yang crashed through a window and into the house.

* * *

"That's it, I'm ending this." Taiyang declared. "It's too much for them." He pulled away from Qrow but his grip was firm.

"I'm sorry Tai, I really am." Qrow said. He twisted Taiyang's arm around his back, swept his legs and drove him face first to the ground. Qrow kept the arm locked up as he followed Taiyang down, pinning him to the ground. "I can't let you interfere."

"Let me go!" Taiyang demanded. "They're going to die! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!"

* * *

Pyrrha rolled to her feet. The Ursa was already charging at her. She dove aside and it slid past, unable to match her dodge. The threw her spear and it sunk into the Major's back. With a roar it turned around and swiped at her. She deflected the attack with her shield then used her semblance to pull the spear deeper into beast. It flailed wildly at her but she kept her shield up and slowly retreated. All the while the spear dug deeper. Finally it poked through the Ursa's front, the resistance dropped and it shot out and into Pyrrha's hand. The Grimm roared and staggered forward, its attacks weaker and less coordinated. It made one final lunge. Pyrrha stepped back and let the creature fall at her feet. She lifted her blade and plunged it into the monster's neck. With a twist, she severed its head.

* * *

The Major lifted its foot to stomp on Ren. Nora arrived just in time to hit it with a hammer to the stomach. The Ursa tumbled back to the ground. Nora leapt up and brought her hammer crashing down on the Ursa's chest, but its armor held. It rolled and swiped at her, launching her across the clearing. Ren was back up. He dashed in and stabbed the Grimm in the knee, dragging his blade around the joint until it collapsed. It slashed at him and he leapt back out of its reach. Nora came flying in and slammed Magnhild down on the Ursa's head. It groaned and writhed. Nora stood beside it, lifted her hammer over her head, and crushed the Major's head flat.

* * *

Propelled by a backwards shot from Crescent Rose, Ruby flew at the Ursa. She slid under its attack and went between its legs, hooking one with her scythe as she passed. The Major slammed down on its face. Ruby immediately turned and repeatedly slashed at its injured leg until it was fully severed. Meanwhile Weiss encased the beast's arms in ice, pinning it in place. Ruby went to work on the other leg and severed it as well while the monster roared in pain. Weiss walked up to the Ursa's head. It snapped at her with its jaws but she stood just beyond its reach. She flipped Myrtenaster around, held it over her head, then plunged the blade into the Major's skull.

* * *

With Yang out of the picture the Ursa attacked Blake. She had been too slow to get up and the Grimm slammed her back down. It repeatedly pounded on her with its claws as she desperately struggled to block. With a pair of shotgun blasts the Major staggered forward. It turned around and Blake took the opportunity to escape. Yang emerged from the window, her eyes red and her hair engulfed in flames. She ran straight at the Ursa. It swiped at her and she deflected the blow with Phoenix Wing before punching the beast straight in the chest. A flurry of Ember Celica boosted punches to its head, neck and chest kept the monster reeling. As it wobbled Yang cocked her prosthetic arm for one final punch. She uncorked the strike and hit the Ursa in the center of the chest, blasting a hole all the way through it. It stood for a moment before falling down onto its back.

"Takin' out the trash." Yang boasted. She dusted herself off and looked back at the house as the fire in her hair faded and her eyes returned to their normal violet. Ruby and Weiss were just arriving from that general direction. "Dad's not going to be happy about the window."

"Look out!" Ruby warned.

Yang spun around. The Ursa was not as dead as originally assumed. It was too late to block as its claw headed straight for her. In a flash of black and white Blake smacked into Yang's side, pushing her out of the way. Blake took the hit instead and was sent flying. She slammed hard into the side of the house before dropping to the ground in a crumpled heap. "You bastard!" Yang screamed, her hair once more aflame and her eyes blazing red. The Major swiped at her but she effortlessly caught the strike on Phoenix Wing. She crouched and launched into a leaping uppercut that caught the Ursa in the chin and separated its head from its shoulders. Yang leapt atop the headless corpse and kept pounding until it finally began to evaporate.

"Blake!" Weiss cried as she and Ruby rushed to the downed fighter's side. "Are you alright?"

Ren, Nora and Pyrrha returned at about the same time. "Oh no…" Pyrrha gasped.

Weiss knelt at Blake's side. With Ruby's help she laid her out flat, resting Blake's head on Weiss' lap. "Speak to me." Weiss pleaded. Blake was bleeding from her nose and, as evidenced by the growing stain on Weiss' skirt, from the back of her head. The area around her left eye was beginning to swell up. "Blake...please."

* * *

"Damnit!" Qrow shouted. He released Taiyang and rushed off. Taiyang got up and followed.

"I told you!" Taiyang screamed.

"Shut up!" Qrow shot back. He unfolded his scythe and chopped down a tree that fell in Taiyang's path. There was not enough time to avoid it and Taiyang tripped over it, rolling across the ground until he slid to a stop.

Taiyang realized what Qrow was doing. If he and Taiyang arrived at the same time, the charade would be revealed. Qrow was still playing his damn games. He was still abusing the kids' trust. "I'll kill you!" Taiyang yelled.

* * *

Blake groaned and opened her right eye. Her left was swollen shut. She coughed violently, choking on blood from her nose. Weiss helped her sit up straighter. "Are...are you okay?" Weiss stammered.

"My head hurts." Blake complained. She coughed again. "My chest too."

"Blake, I'm so sorry." Yang sobbed. "This is my fault. I wasn't paying attention and I..."

"I'll be fine." Blake assured her. "Don't worry about it. It happens."

"And I'm sorry about the way I've been treating you." Yang continued. "I knew you had to have your reasons for what you did but I wasn't willing to give you the benefit of the doubt. I should never have said that I didn't trust you or that we weren't friends. I was just being angry and stubborn and an idiot."

"You were just being human." Pyrrha said. "You were hurt. You lashed out. It happens."

"But it shouldn't happen." Yang said. "Not with my best friend."

"And I shouldn't have run but I did." Blake countered. "I've already forgiven you. I just want you to forgive me."

"Of course I forgive you." Yang said.

"Then I'm happy." Blake said. Her eye closed and she fell limp.

"Blake?" Weiss gasped.

Ren pushed the others away and reached for Blake's neck. He held his fingers against if for a few seconds. "She's just unconscious." He reported, much to everyone's relief. "Her pulse is strong and stable but we should probably do something about that head wound."

Qrow arrived. "Okay everybody, back up." He said as he pushed his way toward Blake and knelt beside her. Ren repeated his findings. "Well that's a relief. Yang and Weiss, carry her to her bed. Ruby, get out the first aid kit. I'll have her patched up in no time." He stood. "I'm really sorry you kids had to do that but you did an excellent job. You should all be very proud."

"Aren't you hurt?" Pyrrha asked. She pointed to the blood stain on Qrow's side.

"It's annoying but I'm alright." Qrow lied. He had not really been hurt in the first place. "It'll hurt plenty when the adrenaline dies down but it's nothing to worry about."

Weiss and Yang carried Blake into the house and Ruby followed. "Is there anything we can do to help?" Nora asked.

"Actually there is." Qrow said. "Make a sweep of the forest to make sure there are no stragglers. We don't need any surprises." The trio headed off. Qrow knew for a fact they would find nothing. He had carefully culled the Grimm and led them over terrain that he knew would separate them into groups. It had all been perfectly choreographed. Moments later Taiyang came walking out of the forest. He looked ready to kill Qrow and he probably was. Qrow could not blame him. "She's fine." Qrow said. "Just a little bump to the head."

"You're no better than Ozpin." Taiyang growled. "Next you'll start talking about acceptable losses and sacrificing the few to save the many."

"That's our mission, to save humanity." Qrow said. "As much as it pains me, not everyone can be saved."

"Save them." Taiyang demanded. "They're still kids. Let the adults handle it."

"Whether you like it or not they're not kids anymore." Qrow countered. "Not since what happened at Beacon. The things they've seen, what they've been through, they're all grown up. They're Huntresses now and there's not a thing you or I can do to change that. I'm going to do everything I can to make sure they survive. I want them to live long, happy lives. The problem is, without their help, no one on Remnant will have a long, happy life."

"I should kill you where you stand." Taiyang seethed.

"You can try." Qrow challenged. "Just know that the forces arrayed against us are fearsome enough without adding you to their number. If you decide to oppose me, I won't let you."

"Is that a threat?" Taiyang said.

"Yes." Qrow replied. "I've dedicated my life to protecting this world. We may be friends but I won't let you stand in the way."

"We're not friends, not anymore." Taiyang said.

"I wonder what Summer would do if she heard you say that." Qrow said.

Taiyang punched Qrow in the jaw. "Don't you dare use her name." Taiyang warned.

"I probably deserved that." Qrow admitted, rubbing his jaw. "I've got to stitch Blake up now, so if you'll excuse me."

"This still isn't over." Taiyang said.

Qrow laughed. "It's only the beginning."

* * *

Once Blake was patched up and conscious again it was time to debrief. Each fighter reported to Qrow what had happened throughout the battle from their own points of view. Qrow may have already known what happened, but hearing it from the participants was important. What they described and how they described it was a window into their psyches. Qrow was encouraged. Not only were the reports detailed and accurate, the students were displaying a confidence he had not seen since they had arrived.

"Very good." Qrow said as he wrapped up the debriefing. "I'm proud of all of you. I think we learned a few important lessons too. Yang?"

"Never let your guard down." Yang sighed.

"Good." Qrow said. "Blake?"

"Don't take a hit for Yang unless it's absolutely necessary." Blake said. "With her semblance getting beat up is basically her job."

"Excellent." Qrow said. "Alright, I think that's been enough excitement for one day. You should all get some rest. No training tomorrow either. As for me, I fear I'm beginning to sober up and I must correct this at once."

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Weiss asked.

"I'm hurting all over, but I'll be alright." Blake replied. "I've had worse."

"Why did you do that?" Weiss asked. "You know Yang can take a hit better than any of us."

"She's suffered enough because of me." Blake answered. "I figured it was time for me to suffer for her."

"That's a really messed up way of looking at it." Weiss said. "I really hope that's the concussion talking."

"I'm going to be fine and we're all friends again." Blake said. "It worked out. You should stop worrying about it."

"I'm worried about you." Weiss said. "You can't go being self-sacrificial. You're not built to take hits like that. I...don't want to lose you."

"I'm sorry it worries you, but I won't stop defending my friends." Blake declared. "I'm done running."

"Tactical retreats are okay." Weiss pointed out. "I know you want to protect the people you care about, but be smart about it. It won't do anyone any good if you get yourself killed."

"Sometimes I wonder…" Blake sighed.

"I won't have you talking like that." Weiss said. "You're not thinking straight right now. Get some rest. I'm sure you head will be clearer in the morning." Weiss got up to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Blake asked.

"I'm going to record a message for my sister." Weiss replied. She thought for a moment. "Do you think I should tell her about us?"

"I don't know her that well." Blake answered. "Will she have a stroke if she finds out you're in a relationship with a Faunus?"

"My father would." Weiss laughed. "I don't know about Winter though. I'll think about it."

* * *

"Is everything alright?" Pyrrha asked.

"Yeah, it's fine." Yang replied. "I just feel bad about Blake. Maybe if I hadn't said those awful things to her she wouldn't have gotten herself hurt."

"I don't think that's the case." Pyrrha countered. "I think she still blames herself for your arm."

"But I don't blame her." Yang said. "That was my stupid anger. Letting my emotions get away from me is what got her hurt today too. I feel like I need to change."

"Yang, I don't want you to change." Pyrrha said. "You're amazing."

"I'm not talking about becoming a different person." Yang explained. "I just need to make some adjustments. I need to be calmer. I need to be more careful with the things I do and say. That doesn't mean I can't still have fun and be spontaneous, I just need to be more aware."

"Those are admirable goals." Pyrrha said.

"I'm not sure I can reach them." Yang admitted.

"I know you can." Pyrrha encouraged. "Just recognizing that there's a problem is a huge step. You're strong and smart enough to do it and I'll be here to help you in any way I can."

* * *

"You were so cool today!" Nora exclaimed. "All those sweet ninja moves…" Nora imitated some of Ren's attacks while making possibly offensive kung-fu sounds.

"You did a really good job too." Ren said.

"Didn't I?" Nora said. "Magnhild really crushed it today! Literally!" She laughed manically. "Those Grimm didn't stand a chance!"

"I'm really happy to see you happy." Ren said.

"I'm always happy." Nora said.

"No, I mean really happy." Ren said. "I know that it's been tough for both of us, but for a while you lost that...I don't know...spark. I'm really glad to see it's back."

"I don't really know what you're talking about." Nora lied. Playing the always happy, always manic, excitable girl was a big part of her coping mechanism. "But if you're happy than so am I!"

* * *

"Hey Uncle Qrow!" Ruby said. She jumped over the back of the couch to sit down beside him.

"What's up kiddo?" Qrow asked. He took a long sip from his flask.

"Uh...I think dad's mad at you." Ruby said. "He keeps looking at you like he's imagining how he's going to kill you."

"I know he's mad at me." Qrow confirmed. "And that's probably exactly what he's thinking about."

"Why?" Ruby asked.

"It's complicated." Qrow sighed. "He's still angry about what happened at Beacon, with Yang's arm and your new powers."

"But that wasn't your fault." Ruby said.

"Maybe it was and maybe it wasn't." Qrow said. "It really doesn't matter. He also doesn't want me training all you guys. He wants you all to go home and give up the whole Huntress thing."

"But none of us want to do that." Ruby protested. "It's my dream to be a Huntress."

"I know kiddo." Qrow said. "He knows it too. He just wants you to be safe. He's afraid."

"I guess he's not happy about the Grimm attack today either." Ruby said.

"Yeah, that's got him pretty hot." Qrow agreed.

"You fought until you couldn't anymore." Ruby said. "I don't know what else you could have done."

"I probably had a little fight left in me." Qrow said, a major understatement. "The truth is he blames me for the Grimm even being here." Ruby gave a confused look. "Grimm are attracted to negative thoughts. I brought four kids full of them here."

"I thought Ren, Nora, Weiss and Blake seemed pretty happy." Ruby said.

"They put on a good front." Qrow sighed. "You do too. What happened at Beacon is still hurting all of you."

"I guess so." Ruby admitted. "I try not to think about it too much."

"I hope your success here today helps." Qrow said. "You guys did a fantastic job. I really believe you could be the protectors this world needs. You just need some more time."

"I definitely feel a lot more confident." Ruby said. "After Beacon I felt like I was too weak to do any good. Now I can see that I have a lot to learn but I can still help."

"Good." Qrow said. "I hope the others feel the same way."

"How are you?" Ruby asked. "You were bleeding a lot."

"Oh, I'm alright." Qrow said. "A little bleeding never killed anybody. Well, except all those people who bled to death. Forget I said anything. I'm fine."


	4. Sorrow

Chapter 4

"Qrow recovered my old shield right?" Pyrrha asked. Ruby nodded in confirmation. "Did he also get...Jaune's weapon?"

"Yeah, he put it in the shed with his tools and old scythes." Ruby replied while still chewing on a spoonful of cereal. "I can get it out for you if you want."

"I'd like that." Pyrrha said. She went back to slowly eating her breakfast. She obviously had something on her mind but Ruby and Yang were unwilling to ask her.

Nora walked into the kitchen with a bounce in her step, humming to herself. She poured herself a bowl of cereal and joined the others in the dining room. "Good morning!" She exclaimed.

"Good morning Nora." Yang said. "Where's Ren?"

"Oh, he's been really tired lately." Nora explained. "Like, even more tired than usual. I figured I'd let him sleep since we're not training today."

In truth Ren was tired because of Nora. She had terrible nightmares. Sometimes she would wake up in a panic, terrified and crying. Ren would hug her and do what he could to soothe her until she would fall asleep again. On some occasions Nora would just wake up to find Ren whispering that everything was going to be alright, gently stroking her head. He explained that she cried and screamed in her sleep. Nora knew the lack of sleep took its toll on Ren and she felt bad about it, but there was nothing she could do. She offered to sleep in a room by herself but Ren wanted to be there when she needed him.

"I heard you crying last night." Pyrrha said. "Is everything alright?"

Nora did not want to give a straight answer but saw no way around it. "I've been having the nightmares again." Nora admitted. She frowned. It had been a problem when Ren and Nora first arrived at Beacon, but as they settled in and got used to their new home and their new friends, the nightmares had stopped. Nora would still have one every so often, but they had been few and far between. "Ever since...what happened, whenever I close my eyes I just…" She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Suddenly she was her usual cheery self. "There's no point in dwelling on it. It's not a big deal. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about it?" Ruby asked.

"There's nothing to talk about really." Nora shrugged. "Pyrrha already knows the story." In the early days at Beacon Jaune and Pyrrha had naturally been curious as to why Nora would wake up screaming. She had described her nightmares in fine detail. They were the kind of horrors that could only be born of the mind of a child who had seen everyone she loved violently killed before her eyes.

Weiss stumbled into the kitchen. She was not a morning person and it showed. She put some bread in the toaster and started searching the refrigerator for something. "What are you looking for?" Yang asked.

Weiss jumped and spun around to face the dining room. She had not even noticed the others were there. "Blake wanted a tuna sandwich for breakfast." Weiss replied. "Do you have any? Maybe some other kind of fish? I'm sure she won't be picky."

"I think so, let me take a look." Yang said. She got up from the table and walked to the refrigerator. "How's Blake doing?"

"She's in some pain but it's not too bad." Weiss answered. "I'm sure she'll be fine in a day or two."

"I'm really sorry." Yang said. She located the tuna and handed it to Weiss. "It's my fault she got hurt."

"Don't blame yourself." Weiss said. She went about preparing Blake's sandwich. "Blake's been pretty depressed. I think a part of her wanted to get hurt. It's like she was looking for a hit to take."

"I still feel like that's my fault." Yang sighed.

"I'd say it's Adam's fault." Weiss suggested. "Blake was telling me about the things he said to her. It's just awful."

"I can't imagine." Yang said.

"At least she seems to be on the upswing." Weiss said. "After yesterday, winning that fight, making up with you, she seemed happier than before, even with her injuries."

"That's good at least." Yang said. "If you two need anything don't hesitate to ask."

There was a loud thud followed by the sound of crashing plates. "Oops." Nora said in the other room. Apparently she had gotten over excited about something and flipped the table.

"I should probably help clean that up." Yang sighed. "Enjoy your breakfast."

* * *

Pyrrha zipped up the backpack she had borrowed from Ruby and slung it over her shoulder. She headed for the door, hoping no one would notice. She opened it and was just about to step outside. "Where are you going?" Yang asked.

"I'll be right back." Pyrrha said.

"That didn't answer the question." Yang said.

"There's something I have to do, alone." Pyrrha said. "Don't worry about it."

"I'm worried about you." Yang said. She walked over and grabbed the backpack to feel what was inside. She frowned. "I understand. Are you sure you don't want the others to go too? They'll want to…"

"Maybe another time." Pyrrha cut her off. "Right now it has to be just me. And don't tell them."

"If you insist." Yang sighed. "Be back soon and...don't do anything stupid, okay?"

"I'll be back in a few hours." Pyrrha said. "And I won't do anything you wouldn't do."

"That's not exactly comforting." Yang said.

"Fine, I won't do anything Yang 2.0 wouldn't do." Pyrrha laughed. "I'll see you soon."

* * *

The forest path felt longer than the last time Pyrrha had walked it. Then she had been accompanied by Ruby and Yang and stories of their childhood had helped to pass the time. All Pyrrha had now were her own thoughts. It was just as well. She had not planned exactly what she was going to do when she got there. It was not an easy thing. It was new territory. She felt increasingly depressed as she neared her destination. There was something of a finality to it. It was closure in a way, but not closure she wanted.

The path opened into a broad clearing. It was ringed on three sides by trees and a cliff fell steeply away on the fourth. Beside the cliff was a simple stone engraved with a rose and a few words. With Ruby and Yang, visiting Summer's grave had not been such a somber experience. Ruby seemed genuinely happy to have the opportunity to speak to her mother, though the conversation was obviously one sided. Pyrrha supposed they were remembering the good times. Those memories were a solace Pyrrha lacked.

Pyrrha knelt beside the stone and placed her hand upon it. "I'm sorry I could protect your daughters." She said. "In the end Ruby ended up saving me. I guess Yang saved me in a way as well. I know you'd be proud."

Pyrrha moved beside the monument and slipped the backpack off. She unzipped it and took out Jaune's weapon. The sword and shield were undamaged, as if there had never been a battle. They had been useless as the arrow pierced Jaune's throat. They were a reminder of Pyrrha's failure. She had comprehensively failed to protect anyone, least of all Jaune. She had not felt a romantic attachment to him for quite some time, not since she had started dating Yang, but he was still her team leader and a good friend. Now he was gone and two hunks of metal were all she had to remember him by.

Pyrrha jabbed the sword blade-first into the ground so it stood upright as a cross. Then she leaned the shield against it. Another memorial for the cliffside. "...and by my shoulder, protect thee." Pyrrha sighed. "I made that promise when we became a team. I couldn't keep it. I'm so sorry." She began to cry. "You could be frustrating and difficult, and there were times when I wished we'd never met. But none of that matters. Even if you didn't always get it right you tried to be the best friend you could for me. You always tried to do the right thing. That's all anyone can ask. Whether or not you knew it, you were a hero." She wiped away her tears but it was a losing battle and soon they were streaming down her face once again. "Maybe it would have been better if it was me instead of you."

"Don't be stupid." Qrow said.

Pyrrha spun around. Qrow was standing just a few steps away from her but somehow she had not heard him coming. "What are you saying?" Pyrrha asked.

"I'm saying that there's no way it would have been better if you'd died." Qrow replied.

"How can you say such a thing?!" Pyrrha gasped. "Have you no respect for the dead?!"

"I have respect for reality." Qrow said. "The fact is Jaune was weak. He had a good heart and it really is a shame that he's gone, but he was not up to the task. He was never going to be the one to save the world. You, on the other hand, you could be the one. The only thing that's going to stop you is you. I told you the day you woke up to stop blaming yourself. You apparently didn't get the message. If you don't stop it's going to consume you. You can still be the hero you always dreamed of being. You can still protect your friends. But not if you self-destruct."

"It's not that easy." Pyrrha protested. "I can't just change the way I feel."

"Of course it isn't easy." Qrow said. "I would never expect you to change overnight or even in the week you've had. But you have to at least try. Just burying it in the back of your mind won't help. You're never going to just forget about it. You've got to face it. You've got to accept it. And you've got to see the truth."

"What if I don't want to change the way I feel?" Pyrrha asked. "What if this guilt is a just punishment?"

"Punishment for what?" Qrow countered. "For trying to save the day? For being defeated by someone unimaginably powerful? For being alive? Give me a break." Qrow took a long sip from his flask. "Look, if you won't do it for you, do it for Yang, Ruby and the others. When you're hurting, they hurt right along with you. They don't want you to beat yourself up. They want you to be happy."

"I guess I could try...for them." Pyrrha sighed.

"That's all I can ask." Qrow said.

Pyrrha took a look back at the monument. "I guess I'm done here." She said.

"I wouldn't leave those out here." Qrow said.

"Why not?" Pyrrha asked.

"Jaune might need them." Qrow replied.

"How will he need them?" Pyrrha asked. "He's dead."

"That's the thing." Qrow said. "The more I think about it, the less sure I am."

"What are you talking about?" Pyrrha demanded. "How drunk are you?"

"Not nearly drunk enough." Qrow laughed. "You and Ruby both described what happened to Jaune. Arrow to the neck, then he bursts into glowing ash and evaporates."

"I don't need to be reminded." Pyrrha said.

"The thing is, Grimm evaporate when they die but humans don't." Qrow continued. "We found Amber's body. You could say Cinder incinerated him but that just doesn't add up. For one, even a maiden doesn't have enough power to instantly incinerate a human being. Second, her plan seems to be to spread chaos and fear. What better way than to display the mangled body of a Huntsman with a famous name? Jaune wasn't well known but his family certainly is. If Cinder was smart she would hang it where everyone can see it, not destroy it. Third, Ozpin's missing. All I found of him was his cane. Now his corpse would be a real prize. The wise, all-powerful Ozpin, dead. Imagine the terror. If she could kill him, she could kill anyone."

"Where are you going with all this?" Pyrrha asked.

"It makes me wonder if Cinder didn't have something else in mind." Qrow replied. "For Ozpin and Jaune too. Ruby told me she called Jaune 'an interesting specimen' before he evaporated. Maybe she intends to use them somehow. Perhaps she teleported them somewhere. I can only speculate. I'm not sure it's within her powers, but it could be."

"Her arrows…" Pyrrha mumbled.

"What was that?" Qrow said. "Speak up."

"The arrow that hit me in the foot, it broke on my shield before reforming on the other side to hit me." Pyrrha explained. "She seemed to summon her bow from thin air. Could it be connected to Jaune and Ozpin?"

"It could be." Qrow shrugged. "Unfortunately I can't tell you for sure."

"So there's some hope that Jaune and Ozpin are still alive?" Pyrrha asked.

"I think there is." Qrow answered. "And sometimes the tiniest sliver of hope can make all the difference."

"I need to tell the others." Pyrrha said.

"You shouldn't." Qrow suggested. "I only told you because you needed to hear it. For them it would just be one more distraction they can ill afford."

"I don't like keeping secrets." Pyrrha said.

"Neither do I." Qrow agreed. "Unfortunately there are times when it's necessary. This is one of those times."

"How much aren't you telling us?" Pyrrha probed.

"Not all that much honestly." Qrow shrugged. "It's not about the quantity of the secrets, it's about their importance. When the time comes I'll tell you all everything."

"How can I trust you?" Pyrrha asked. "How can any of us trust you?"

"That's a question only you can answer." Qrow replied. He kept talking as he started to walk away. "But you really don't have to trust me. I'm not going to give you orders. The seven of you are smart enough to decide your own path. My job is just to make sure you're ready for it."

Pyrrha wanted to ask so many questions but Qrow disappeared into the forest. She decided it was time to head back. She returned Jaune's weapon to the backpack and zipped it closed. "If you're out there I'll find you." She declared. Then she headed back down the winding trail that led to the Xiao-Long house. She was again alone with her thoughts but now they were not quite so bleak.

* * *

The sun was just setting as Pyrrha arrived at the house. The door was unlocked - with so many guests it only made sense - so she slipped inside and tossed the backpack on the floor just beside it. Clanking metal confirmed its contents. "You're back." Yang said with a smile. She was sitting on the couch just across the room. "I thought you'd leave it out there."

"I changed my mind." Pyrrha said. She wanted to tell Yang what Qrow had told her but decided to take Qrow's advice and keep it to herself.

"Feeling any better?" Yang asked.

"I was feeling alright before." Pyrrha replied. Yang shot her a skeptical look. "Okay, yes, I'm feeling better." She walked over and sat beside Yang.

"Yeah, there's something about that place." Yang mused. "As sad as it is Ruby and I always feel better for having gone."

"It's an exhausting walk though." Pyrrha said.

"You're not kidding." Yang laughed. "I know you want to, go ahead."

"Thanks." Pyrrha said. She swiveled her legs up onto the couch and lay across it with her head on Yang's lap. "How's Blake doing?"

"It seems like she's back to being the old Blake." Yang replied. "You know, from before Adam and my arm and everything. She was being all romantic with Weiss before. It's a shame you missed it because it's hilarious. Weiss has no idea how normal people act in that situation and Blake learned everything she knows from reading smut."

"They way you describe them, they're not too different from how we were." Pyrrha said. "Except I think you got your lines from crappy romance movies."

"You're not wrong." Yang admitted. "But it worked, didn't it?"

"It sure did." Pyrrha laughed.

* * *

The following morning Winter was awakened by a knock on her room's door. "Winter, are you awake?" It was one of the servants.

"What is it?" Winter asked.

"There is a package for you." The servant replied. "The courier insists on delivering it to you directly."

"I'll be right down." Winter said. She got dressed in a hurry, just enough to be presentable. Qrow had promised Weiss would be in touch and she hoped this was her sister's message. She made her way to the front door. The courier was standing just inside, holding a small package. It was the same courier as the last time.

"Here you are Ms. Schnee." The courier said. He handed over the package and departed as abruptly as he had the last time.

Winter took the package back to her room. Opening it, she found it contained another data disk. She slipped it into her computer and a video began playing automatically. It was indeed Weiss. "Hello Winter." Weiss said. "I'm sorry about the whole faking my death thing, that must have been hard on you."

"You have no idea." Winter whispered to herself.

"I just couldn't allow father to bring me home." Weiss said. "I hope you're doing alright, considering. I'm fine. I'm with my friends now. We've been training a lot. I don't know why exactly, except that I guess it's the only thing we can think of doing. Given everything that's happened, everyone seems surprisingly upbeat. Even Team JNPR seems to be handling the death of their leader well. I don't want you to worry, but we fought some Grimm today. There were a lot of them and they were strong, but we took care of it. It felt really good to win for a change. I came out without a scratch. Blake took a big hit but she's going to be fine." Weiss paused and a look of unease flashed across her face. "I guess I should tell you. How should I put this? Blake and I aren't exactly dating because we haven't had a chance for a real date but...I know. I have commenced a romantic relationship with my teammate Blake."

"Not exactly what I was expecting, but good for you." Winter whispered to herself. "With all the two of you went through together I can't say I'm surprised."

"The thing is…" Weiss continued. "...I'm not sure you're going to like this but...well...she's a Faunus." Winter nearly fell out of her chair. "I don't care what she is. All I care about is who she is. That's what's really important. Anyway, I guess I should wrap this up. I hope I can see you soon. I miss you."

Winter burst into laughter. Weiss dating a Faunus? Their father would have a fit if he found out. Winter had to wonder how much of the relationship was based on Weiss wanting to defy her father, but if the pair were happy, what did it matter? Winter was cautious with the Faunus. As a Schnee she had to be. The bad blood tended to flow both ways. That said, she had no problem with her sister dating one. If it made her happy, wonderful. All Winter wanted was for Weiss to be happy.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** The reasoning behind why Jaune might not be dead can easily be reframed into the reasoning behind my belief that Pyrrha is not really dead in canon.


	5. On the Run

**Author's Note:** I mentioned when I started posting this story that I wasn't sure I would finish it. Well, I did. I have to thank those of you who encouraged me for pushing me to complete it. Until it's all out I'll be posting two chapters per week. Expect odd numbered chapters on Wednesday and evens on Sunday.

* * *

Chapter 5

Days of training turned to weeks. The weather grew colder as autumn slipped into winter and soon snow blanketed the ground. Things were looking up. For all the chaos that had enveloped the world following the Vytal Festival incident, things had not gotten any worse. On the personal side, the fighters seemed to be filled with a new confidence. Once surrounded by her friends Ruby had seamlessly transitioned back into being the adorable little warrior who always had a smile on her face. Blake had recovered from her injury and she and Weiss seemed quite happy together. Yang reached the point where she was as dextrous with her prosthetic as she had been with her real arm; she was whole again. Pyrrha was noticeably less depressed; it was as if a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Nora's nightmares subsided, becoming increasingly rare, and that allowed Ren to actually get some sleep. There was hope, but there was also restlessness. How long could they really go on training in the backyard while the world was on the brink?

* * *

"Any reports today?" Qrow asked.

"No." Taiyang replied.

"I told you it was for the best." Qrow said.

"I have to admit, you may have been right." Taiyang sighed. "There haven't been any significant Grimm sightings nearby since that fight."

"You need to trust me." Qrow said. "I have everyone's best interests at heart."

"I'm never going to trust you." Taiyang said. "Not again. That little stunt worked out, and maybe it was what they needed, but don't think for a second I believe you're done. I can see it in your eyes. You're planning something and I don't like it."

"You sound pretty paranoid." Qrow observed. "Once the council decides how to proceed with replacing Beacon, I'll take them to whatever school they come up with, whether it's in Vale or not. That's the only plan I've got. I know you don't want your girls to leave again, but you know they won't accept that."

"I'm resigned to the fact that they're going to be Huntresses whether I like it or not." Taiyang admitted. "If you're watching over them - and I mean really watching over them, not looking out for your cabal - I guess I can live with that."

"Good." Qrow said. "Relax. Enjoy the time you have with them. Train with them. I'm sure they'll love it. Everything's going to work out."

"I think I will." Taiyang said. "But I'm still keeping my eye on you."

* * *

One morning before training Ruby asked the others to meet her in a field not far from the house. They all dutifully headed there at the appointed time but Ruby was late. Weiss took the opportunity to pull Blake aside to talk. "You haven't been wearing your bow." Weiss said.

"So?" Blake responded.

"You've never gone this long without it." Weiss said. "You used to sleep with it on. I know you said you were comfortable around me but with everyone here…"

"I guess I decided it's time to stop running from who I am." Blake cut her off. "I can't be afraid to let the world see I'm a Faunus."

"Is that all it is?" Weiss asked.

"Not entirely." Blake replied. "I guess it's a part of me accepting myself. I have my flaws and I've made some terrible mistakes, but if I can't like the person I am, who else can?"

Their conversation was interrupted by the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps. "Sorry I'm late!" Ruby called as she rushed into the field. "I had to make sure dad and Uncle Qrow didn't follow me."

"What's this about?" Weiss asked. "Why do you have us all standing in the middle of the woods?"

"Yeah, it's freezing out here." Yang added.

"There's something I needed to talk to you all about, but I can't let the adults hear me." Ruby explained. "I know what we need to do next."

"What are you talking about?" Pyrrha asked. She sounded a bit nervous. Everyone had been under the impression that the next step was going back to school in some way. It did not sound like Ruby was talking about that.

"When I first woke up, Uncle Qrow mentioned that Cinder and her group went to Haven after what happened." Ruby said. "We've got to go there and stop whatever they're up to."

"That's insane!" Weiss protested. "Even if we could get there and find them, both highly unlikely, what makes you think we can stop them? Look at what they did to us! They managed to defeat the Atlesian army and some of the most elite Hunters in all of Remnant. We're just a bunch of kids."

"We're not just kids." Ruby said. "We're Huntresses." She paused for a moment before looking at Ren. "And a Huntsman. Anyway, it's our job to protect the world. We can't just sit here knowing they're out there."

"That still doesn't explain how we're supposed to beat them." Blake said. "We were barely an inconvenience to them at Beacon."

"We're stronger now." Ruby said. "And we know who the bad guys are. At Beacon we didn't realize who they were until it was too late. If we go to Haven as refugees, they'll think that's all we are. We'll have the element of surprise this time. Once we're there we can get Team SSSN to join us too. Plus Weiss figured out how to summon and I've got my new power. You saw what I did to that dragon thing. We can do this!" The others did not look so sure.

"I don't know." Ren said. "This all sounds very risky. There's not even a guarantee we can get to Haven. With everything that's happened travel is difficult and expensive."

"I'm in." Pyrrha declared. The others looked at her in surprise. "We can't just stay here doing nothing while the world's falling apart. If we wait too long there won't be a world to save."

"I agree but that still doesn't solve our money problem." Yang said.

"I've got enough money saved up to get us to Vale." Ruby said. "Then we just need money to get to Mistral."

"I still have some lien." Weiss offered. "It's not much but it's something."

"Nora and I don't have any." Ren said.

"I have a little but I don't think it'll be enough." Yang said.

"I don't have any with me but once we get to Mistral I can use credit." Pyrrha said. "International banking is down along with the CCT but the intra-kingdom networks seem to be working."

"We have to at least try." Ruby pleaded. "Come on, we need to do this. We need to do it for Jaune and Ozpin and everyone else. Please. I'll go myself if I have to."

"I already said I'll go." Pyrrha repeated.

"If you two are going, I'm going too." Yang added.

"Let's do it!" Nora exclaimed. She looked at Ren expectantly and he nodded.

"I'm done running away from my problems." Blake declared. "I'll join you."

"I guess I'll go too." Weiss sighed. "It's better than going back to Atlas."

"Alright!" Ruby yelled. "This'll be great! Now we just need to get all the supplies we'll need together and wait for the right moment. It would suck if we left only for dad to stop us."

The group started discussing details. They did not know it but they were being watched. "Looks like it's all coming together." Qrow whispered to himself. He held Ozpin's cane in his hands and looked it over. "I hope I'm doing the right thing. It's a lot harder when I'm the one making the decision."

* * *

The day finally came. Taiyang had business to deal with at Signal and Qrow was AWOL. Now was the time to go. The group gathered the supplies they had secretly been hoarding, packed them into backpacks and headed out. If all went as planned no one would know they were gone until they were off Patch. If the timing worked out they might even be on a ship to Mistral by then. It was probably not a great idea but Ruby and Yang left a note for their father explaining what they were doing but not where they were going. Weiss left a video for Qrow to give to Winter.

The smartest thing to do would have been to head straight for the docks and get on a ferry to Vale as soon as possible, but the group had another stop in mind. It was a bit out of the way but they could not leave before visiting Summer's grave. The others stood back as Ruby spoke to her mother, telling her about what had happened and what they were planning. She spoke to Jaune as well, apologizing that she had been unable to save him and saying how much she missed him. Then she stepped back, giving the others a chance to say a prayer or offer a few words of their own.

After Weiss, Blake, Ren and Nora, it was Yang's turn. She knelt beside the stone and placed her hand on it. "I'll keep Ruby safe, I promise." She whispered. "I'll make sure she'll be the hero she always dreamed of being." She stood, wiped away a stray tear and walked back to the others.

Pyrrha hesitated but stepped forward at last, standing before the monument and looking out over the cliff beyond. "As long as I live and breathe no harm will come to your daughters or their friends." Pyrrha said. "I will protect them. I will not fail again." She took a deep breath. "And Jaune, if you're out there, I'll find you." In the backpack she carried, along with assorted supplies, was his weapon. "I have something I need to give you, and so much I need to say." Pyrrha felt as though she was being watched. She guessed the others were getting impatient with her. She turned around but they did not seem to care, instead talking quietly amongst themselves. Pyrrha could not shake the feeling. She looked around, scanning the edge of the clearing, but saw nothing and no one. Strange. "I'm ready." She announced.

"Alright, if we hurry we can catch the noon ferry." Yang said. She looked Pyrrha in the eyes as she approached. "What's wrong? Thinking about what happened again?"

"It's nothing like that." Pyrrha said. "It's just...I don't know. Let's just get going." The group moved on, heading straight for the port. Soon they would be on a boat to Vale and hopefully on their way to Mistral shortly thereafter.

* * *

"I can't believe how much a ticket to Mistral costs." Ruby groaned. The group was short of money and it was not particularly close. "Isn't there a cheaper option."

"Give me a moment." The ticket clerk tapped away at his computer. "I'm sorry, but with the increase in traffic we've been forced to raise the rates. Even if you did buy a ticket, it might be days before we could get a group as large as yours on your way."

"There has to be something we can do." Yang said.

The clerk tilted his head as he looked at the screen. "Huh." He said.

"Is that a good huh or a bad huh?" Weiss asked.

"For you I think it's a good one." The clerk replied. "You could try Eastport." Eastport, as the name implied, was a port on the east coast of the kingdom, directly across a rather narrow sea from Mistral. "The traffic there is much lighter and the fares are well within your budget. Unfortunately, it's quite a walk."

"If that's what it takes, we'll do it." Ruby declared.

"I guess we don't have much of a choice." Blake sighed. "I have to warn you though, it's dangerous out there. Even the roads aren't safe. And it's not just Grimm."

"You could take a train or airship…" The clerk started. "...oh, but then you wouldn't be able to afford the trip to Mistral. I'm sorry I couldn't be more helpful."

"We're all trained warriors." Pyrrha said. "I'm sure we can handle whatever we may encounter."

"Yeah!" Nora exclaimed. "We'll crush anyone who stands in our way!"

"Maybe we try to avoid violence, except as a last resort." Ren suggested.

"Oh yeah, right, good idea." Nora laughed.

With their course of action decided, the group headed out. Even the trek through the city of Vale, enormous as it was, would be a long one. From there it would take days to reach Eastport. "We might have a problem." Weiss said.

"What?" Blake asked.

"Since we're walking all the way I don't think we'll have sufficient supplies." Weiss replied. "We didn't exactly plan for something like this."

"It won't be a problem." Ruby assured her. "We're all trained in gathering resources in the field."

"Ruby, you got a D in that class." Weiss reminded her. "The professor said you wouldn't last a week on your own."

"But I'm not on my own." Ruby countered. "The rest of you did great in that."

"It might be tough to provision a group this large but I suppose it's possible." Pyrrha said. "It'll probably slow us down though."

"Well, hopefully we'll be able to stop at a few villages along the way." Ren said. "They might take pity on us. In my experience the people living outside the kingdoms are usually willing to help refugees."

"Either way I'm sure we'll be fine." Ruby said. "We'll do what we have to do. We need to get to Mistral, no matter what."

* * *

"I told them about Eastport, just like you asked." The ticket clerk said.

"Thanks." Qrow said. He took a sip from his flask before tossing a few lien to the man. "I really appreciate it."

"I hope those kids will be alright." The clerk said. "It really is dangerous out there."

"Don't worry." Qrow said. "They can handle it. Besides, I'll keep an eye on them."

"You're a drunk old man who probably hasn't slept or showered in a week." The clerk said. "If I didn't know you, and you weren't paying me so much, I'd never have gone along with this."

"Well you're right on two counts." Qrow cut him off. "I won't say which. But I also happen to be the best damn Huntsman in Vale." He smiled then tossed the man more cash. "If a blond haired guy shows up asking about the group, tell him they went to Atlas."

"It was nice doing business with you Qrow." The clerk said. "Don't make me regret this."

* * *

Taiyang arrived at the house late in the afternoon. To his surprise the kids were not training outside. Perhaps they had called it quits for the day. He opened the front door and went inside. "I'm home." He called. There was no reply. Maybe they were off in the forest doing something. It was only natural that they would want to change up their routine after so long. He tossed his bag of food on the counter and opened the pantry to put it away. The cabinet was empty. He was overcome with a sick feeling. "Maybe they went camping. Yeah. Please let that be it." He said to himself, growing increasingly panicked. He headed toward the back of the house and saw a note posted on the door to his room.

 _Dad,_

 _We know you want us to stay home, and we're really sorry, but we can't. We're Huntresses and it's our job to protect the world. We've gone after the people responsible for what happened at Beacon. We're not coming back until we've stopped them. We'll be in touch if we get the chance. Please don't come after us._

 _We'll miss you,_

 _Ruby and Yang_

Taiyang dropped to his knees sobbing. "Not again, not again…" He cried. "Why?" He dropped the note and as it fell to the floor he saw there was more written on the back. "What the?"

 _Tai,_

 _Sorry I had to do this behind your back but I knew you'd just get in the way. Know that I didn't force them to do anything or even suggest it. I just told them a place and they decided they needed to go. Don't worry, I'll be watching over them. I'll come back with them or not at all. It's for the good of Remnant._

 _My apologies,_

 _Qrow_

Taiyang's sorrow turned to rage. "Qrow you bastard!" He screamed. He crushed the note in his hand. "Haven't you taken enough away from me?! I'll kill you! I'll kill you if it's the last thing I do!" Taiyang got his emotions under control and gathered what he needed. He was going after them. They only had a few hours of a head start, they probably stopped at Summer's grave, and being in a group would slow them down. He could catch up if he hurried.

If he found the kids he would find Qrow. Then...he could not say what he would do then. He sincerely expected he would at least attempt to kill the man. Qrow would likely put up little opposition, knowing as he did just how in the wrong he was. Whether Taiyang could go through with it or not was another question. Though he presently detested the man, they were teammates and had been the best of friends. He had always been there for the kids and was the closest thing Taiyang had to a brother. Somewhere along the way Qrow had changed. Or maybe it just took time for Taiyang to notice who Qrow really was all along. He was more concerned with saving the world than protecting his family. Now Qrow was even willing to put his own nieces in the firing line. How could the man have fallen so far?

* * *

The ticket clerk sat at his desk. The terminal was busy and he had lots of sales to make. It seemed everyone wanted to leave Vale and he could not blame them. There was a commotion, a few indignant shouts and some swears thrown out. A haggard-looking blond man pushed his way to the front of the line. He was out of breath and sweating profusely. "I'm sorry sir, but you'll have to wait in line like everyone else." The clerk said.

"I'm not here for a ticket, I'm here for my kids." Taiyang said. "Did a group of teenagers come through here today. Seven of them. Six girls, one boy. One of the girls was short with black hair, another was a tall blond, both kind of look like me…"

"They came and went." The clerk said. He had a choice to make. He could tell the man, who was obviously distraught and apparently was looking for his daughters, where the group had gone. Or he could go along with Qrow. He trusted Qrow but at the same time was aware that the man was involved in some shady dealings.

"Where did they go?!" Taiyang demanded. "Tell me!"

The clerk looked Taiyang in the eyes, eyes filled with rage and fear. "They went to Atlas." He said. The clerk wanted to tell the truth but Qrow's money was too much. He needed it to get his family out of Vale and set up some place safe.

"Thank you, I need tickets on the first flight there." Taiyang said.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait in line." The clerk said.

"But...my daughters…" Taiyang protested. He looked back at the line of angry people behind him.

"Don't worry, the next airship doesn't leave for another two hours." The clerk said. "You've got plenty of time."

"Fine." Taiyang sighed. Hanging his head he trudged to the back of the line. He had to find his daughters before something happened to them. He could not live with losing anyone else.


	6. The Dogs of War

Chapter 6

They had made it out of Vale and into the wilderness beyond. The only path that remained was a dirt trail that was rarely used anymore. If they just followed it they would arrive at Eastport in a few days. It was not necessarily the quickest way. It meandered around, connecting scattered villages. Those villages would be important to their journey though. On the way they could hopefully pick up some supplies, maybe even earn some cash, and perhaps find the occasional bed to sleep in. The first night, however, would be spent beneath the stars.

"I'll take first watch." Pyrrha volunteered as she and the others finished setting up camp. It was not much of a camp, just a fire in the middle with sleeping bags laid out on ground that was relatively flat and had been cleared of debris. Someone would need to be awake at all times to make sure the group was not ambushed by Grimm, or worse.

"Maybe you should go later in the night when it's tougher to stay up." Yang suggested. "I trust you to stay awake more than I trust myself."

"I meant I would take watch all night." Pyrrha clarified.

"There's no way you're staying up all night." Yang said. "We all need to rest. We'll take it in shifts."

"Yang's right." Weiss said. "We'll all need to be sharp. I'll take the first shift. Nora's the best morning person so she'll have third. You can have the middle."

"If you insist." Pyrrha relented.

"After all the walking we did today I don't think I'll have any trouble getting to sleep." Ruby said with a yawn. "Right Nora?" No response. Ruby turned around to see Nora already asleep.

"I'm not sure it will be quite so easy for me." Blake said. "I have some rough memories." The look on Ren's face said he shared her concern.

"Come on guys, it's fine." Ruby said. "The past is the past. You shouldn't dwell on it. We're all among friends now." If only it were so simple. Horrors etched into the mind were not so easily dispelled.

* * *

The flight to Atlas was delayed and Taiyang did not arrive until morning. He was frantic. Every minute he lost would make it harder and harder find his daughters. He asked around among the staff when he arrived, but none of them remembered the group. Maybe they had arrived during the previous shift. Unfortunately, that left him with nothing to go on. On the plus side, he knew the identity of the person in Atlas most likely to know something.

Taiyang immediately made his way to the Schnee estate. If anyone knew anything, it would be Winter Schnee. Taiyang knew Weiss had been in contact with her via Qrow. He was stopped at the gate by a tough-looking Atlesian soldier. "Name and business." The soldier demanded.

Taiyang sighed. He hated dealing with the military and the Atlesian military in particular. "Taiyang Xiao-Long." He said. "I'm here to speak to Winter."

The soldier flicked through his scroll. "You're not on the list." He said.

"What is this?" Taiyang said. "A nightclub? It's an emergency."

"No one gets in unless they're on the list." The soldier said. He moved a hand toward his sidearm.

Taiyang held up his hands and took a step back. He was not here for a confrontation. "Look, I'm the father of Weiss' teammates." He explained.

"Oh, you're a mourner." The soldier said. "That's different. You sure took your time getting here."

Just then a man carrying a package walked up. The soldier waved him past without a word. Wait a second. Taiyang knew him. He was a friend of Qrow. "So can I go in?" Taiyang asked.

"Go ahead." The soldiers said. "Stay on the path and don't try anything. We'll be watching."

Taiyang rushed up the path, catching up to the courier. "Hey, Qrow's friend." He called.

The man turned around. "Oh, you're uh...Taiyang was it?" The courier said.

"The same." Taiyang said. He caught up and the pair began walking toward the mansion. "What are you doing here?"

"Qrow needed me to deliver a package." The courier replied. "Now that I think about it, I think we were on the same flight over here. What brings you to Atlas?"

"Let's just say it has something to do with Qrow." Taiyang answered.

"From the look in your eyes I'd say it's not good." The courier said. "Just don't take it out on me."

"Don't worry about that." Taiyang said. "What's in the box?"

"No idea." The courier admitted. "I'm just supposed to give it to Winter." Taiyang had a feeling he knew. The pair arrived at the door and the courier knocked. A servant answered then ran off to fetch Winter.

Winter arrived a few minutes later, presentable enough but not looking her best. Apparently she was not expecting her second guest. The courier handed her the package and ran off. "And you are?" Winter asked of Taiyang.

"Taiyang Xiao-Long." He said.

"Xiao-Long...ah, you must be Yang and Ruby's father." Winter said. "They must be terribly broken up about Weiss."

"Cut the crap." Taiyang snapped. "She's alive and we both know it. She's been living at my damn house."

"Mr. Xiao-Long, please keep your voice down." Winter admonished, feigning indignation. "Come with me, we'll discuss this in private." She whispered. She led him to her room and locked the door behind him. "What do you want?"

"I want to find my daughters." Taiyang replied.

"What do you mean find them?" Winter said. "What makes you think I'd know where they are?"

"They ran off with your sister and their friends." Taiyang explained. "I know Weiss has been in contact with you. I also know you've got connections to the Atlesian military. Either way, you should know where they're headed."

"I haven't been told anything." Winter said. "And I've been on leave since Weiss faked her death. You should probably ask Qrow."

"I would if I could." Taiyang said. "He's gone too. He set this damn thing up. He's pulling the strings just like that bastard Ozpin. I will not let him get my daughters killed."

"Well, as much as I'd like to help, I don't know anything." Winter said.

"Watch the tape." Taiyang suggested. "Maybe Weiss will let slip."

"She won't." Winter said. "She never told me where she was staying or anything other than that she was 'with friends.' She's not going to make a basic error like that."

"Then ask the general." Taiyang said. "He's part of Qrow's cabal. I'm sure you know that even if you're not. My daughters left a note. They said they were going after the people who caused the incident at Beacon. I can't let them. There's no way they can handle this."

Winter was alarmed. The people responsible for the Vytal Festival incident were indeed formidable. She did not know all the details, but her close contact with Ironwood made it clear that they were a global threat capable of ending civilization. Now her sister was going to try to fight them. Ozpin could not stop them. The Atlesian military could not stop them. Weiss was only going to get herself killed. "I'll set up a meeting with General Ironwood at once." Winter said. "He'll know. Hopefully we can get there before it's too late."

* * *

At dawn it was time to move on. The group tore down their camp and set off down the trail. They reached a village mid morning but were turned away. The influx of refugees had already stretched the village's resources to the breaking point and even having a group of capable warriors who could help out was not something they wanted. Luckily the next village was not far off. They reached it by evening. This time they were allowed within its walls, but there would be no freebies. If they were going to have supplies or a place to stay, they were going to earn it. Earning a room was easy. All they had to do for that was take turns on watch atop the walls or manning the guns used to defend against airborne Grimm. In return for a combined 10 man-hours of service, they were given a small room with one bed for the night. It was cramped and uncomfortable, but it was better than sleeping outside.

Earning supplies would be a more demanding task and it would have to wait for the next day. A farming community nearby had gone silent. It was small, only three houses and the associated fields perched atop a plateau with steep sides. The village counted on the farms to provide food, but the delivery scheduled for two days previous had never arrived. It was the most important one of all, the last before winter cut off all fresh produce. The village had emergency stores and could probably make it without the additional food, but it would be touch-and-go and the necessary rationing would be both unpopular and uncomfortable. Combined with everything that had recently gone on in the kingdom, it might even cause the sort of unrest that attracted Grimm. Previously the village had not had the manpower required to investigate, but the newly arrived group would be perfect for the job. They would depart at dawn the following day.

* * *

"General." Winter said with a salute.

General Ironwood was going over something with a short, plump scientist. He turned away from their work. "Ah, Winter." Ironwood said. They saluted each other. "I didn't think you were scheduled to return for another few weeks."

"I'm not, but there's an emergency." Winter explained. "Qrow convinced my sister and some of her friends to go after the people who destroyed Beacon. We need to stop them but I don't know where they're headed. You do."

"This is all news to me." Ironwood said. "I thought your sister was dead."

"Qrow helped her fake her death to get our father off her trail." Winter said.

"That sounds like something he would do." Ironwood sighed. "Why is Mr. Xiao-Long here? This facility houses classified technology. He should not have been allowed inside."

"He's here as my guest." Winter replied. "His daughters are with Weiss. He informed me of their plans."

"So you want to know where they're going?" Ironwood asked. "That's easy. I can take you." He turned to the scientist. "Is it ready?"

"No, of course it's not ready." The scientist replied.

"You have twelve hours." Ironwood said. "Then I'm leaving with it, whether it's ready or not. It seems events have forced my hand." He returned his attention to Winter and Taiyang. "I'll have a ship prepped for departure tomorrow morning. Until then you are both to remain in Winter's quarters. You will not leave until you are escorted to my ship. That's a direct order."

"Tomorrow might be too late." Taiyang said. "Please, just tell us where they're going. I'll go by myself if I must."

"I'm afraid I can't do that for security reasons." Ironwood said. "We cannot go until we are properly prepared. It's too dangerous. While the arrangements are being made I'll look into travel records and passenger manifests to confirm their destination. We will save them. It's the least I can do for both of you."

"Thank you General." Winter said. She saluted again. Taiyang was intent on arguing more but Winter dragged him off. They were taken to her quarters by soldiers to ensure Taiyang did not see anything he was not supposed to.

"Are you really going to stop them?" The scientist asked once Winter and Taiyang were gone.

"Of course not." Ironwood answered. "As much as I may take issue with the man, Qrow is now in charge. I'm going to do whatever I can to help his group."

"And what will you do about those two?" The scientist asked.

"They will simply be left in the dark." Ironwood replied.

"Why do you need her though?" The scientist asked. "You know she's not ready. Not yet."

"I still believe all the things I said about her before Beacon." Ironwood said. "She's our best shot at success. I wish there was more time, I really do, but we must move now. If we don't it will be too late."

* * *

After following a narrow path, the group arrived below the plateau. There was no way up. That was their biggest security measure against Grimm. It was sheer cliffs all around. The farmers moved cargo and people by a winch attached to a platform, but the platform was up and there was no way to operate it from below. That was their biggest security measure against people. The only way to get up there to investigate would be to climb. It was not a particularly long climb, but it would be a challenging one.

"I guess we can assume that the shipment wasn't intercepted enroute." Weiss said. She waited at the bottom while Ren scaled the cliff. Once at the top he would lower the platform to bring up the others. "The platform is still up and we didn't see any evidence on the way."

"It's strange." Pyrrha said. "If they were the victims of some sort of attack in the settlement, you would expect a distress call of some kind."

"Yeah, even at a place with natural defenses like this they still always have someone on watch just in case." Yang added. "Whatever happened must have happened fast."

"We shouldn't jump to conclusions." Ruby said. "They might just be having trouble with their communications gear. Scroll reception sucks out here. If they had to fix it, it could have delayed their shipment."

"I don't know." Blake said. "I have a bad feeling about this."

Ren scrambled to the top of the plateau and out of view. A few seconds later he peeked his head over the edge and the platform began slowly descending. When it reached the bottom, the rest of the group stepped aboard and Ren started reeling them in. When they reached the top there was not much to see. A few boxes labeled 'produce' were stacked in a cart near the winch. It was obviously part of the shipment, but not all of it. There were no people around. The houses and storage buildings were still standing and the fields appeared to be in decent shape. That probably ruled out a Grimm attack.

"I guess we should check the houses." Pyrrha suggested. Like the others, she was worried about what they would find. It was disturbingly quiet. The only sounds came from the wind and the noises they made themselves as they walked toward the structures. Pyrrha hoped there would be survivors but she knew that was highly unlikely.

Ren stood beside the door to the first house. Yang positioned herself to punch it in while the others stacked up on either side. They were prepared for a hostile welcome. Just before Yang punched the door, Ren turned the knob. It was unlocked. Yang pushed the door and it swung open with a creak. Yang lunged inside, prepared for a sudden attack. None came. The house had been ransacked. The group spread out, looking through the various rooms. Many valuables had been left behind, food too, but there were no weapons to be found. There was also no sign of the occupants or any evidence to tell them what had happened.

It was time to check out the second house. There were a few broken windows and it was similarly ransacked. Still, there was nothing to go on. The third house was much like the first two, at least it appeared so. The group went inside and began searching. Yang emerged from a room looking a little ill and closed the door behind her. "I think I know what happened." Yang said. Weiss walked over, prepared to go inside and see for herself. "You probably don't want to do that." Yang warned.

"What's in there?" Weiss asked.

"A corpse." Yang said. "Adult male. I think. He's been mutilated. It didn't look like something Grimm would do. It was too...precise."

Blake arrived and pushed past Weiss and Yang. She did not care about Yang's warnings and forced her way into the room. She returned a few moments later. She looked worried. "White Fang." Blake said. "It has all the hallmarks of their torture."

"But why?" Weiss asked. "Why attack a tiny settlement in the middle of nowhere and not even steal stuff? Why torture some guy like that?"

"It's clear they were looking for something." Blake replied. "I suspect he talked long before they stopped torturing him. That's the thing about the White Fang. Torture isn't just a means to an end, it's an end in itself."

"So what about everyone else?" Ruby asked. She knew the answer but did not want to hear it.

"They'll be dead." Blake confirmed. "I'm sure we'll find their bodies around here somewhere. Hopefully they were just executed."

"Do you think we'll find any answers?" Ren asked.

"Maybe." Blake shrugged. "The White Fang aren't know for covering up their crimes, but it could still be hard to figure out exactly what they were after."

"How many people lived here?" Ruby asked, on the edge of tears.

"Eleven." Pyrrha said. "That's the number from the briefing at least."

"So we're looking for ten more bodies." Yang sighed. "I hope the rest are in better shape."

There was only one more structure left, a large barn used for storage. The group approached the doors afraid of the horrors that might wait inside. Yang and Ren pushed the double-doors open. It was not as horrible as it could have been, but it was bad. Two bodies, a man and a woman, were hanging from ropes tied to the rafters. They were not hanging by their necks but by their feet, and their bodies displayed dozens of stab wounds along with some signs of blunt trauma.

"Now I'm sure it was the White Fang." Blake said. She walked up to one of the corpses and cut it down. She examined the wounds. "Probably beaten first. Then stabbed. They probably bled out over a long period of time. I bet whoever did this was watching too. Probably laughing as they begged for their lives, or maybe as they begged to be finished off."

"I still don't understand." Weiss said. "Why this? Why here?"

"Maybe we'll find out when we locate the rest of the bodies." Blake said. "We're still short by eight."

"I think we should just go back and inform the village." Ruby said. The scenes of carnage were too much for her and she just wanted to leave.

"You can go." Blake said. "I'll stay. I have to know."

"Know what?" Ruby asked.

Blake looked at her. "I think you know the answer." Blake said.

"If you're staying, I'm staying." Weiss said. "You shouldn't have to be alone with...all this."

"None of us are leaving." Yang said. "The people that did this might still be nearby. The bodies have hardly begun to rot. It's too risky to split up until we know it's clear."

"I found something." Pyrrha said. She pointed to a smear of blood on the ground. The trail led out the back door of the building and into the fields. "Looks like someone was dragged, alive judging by the amount of blood."

The blood trail led into the fields. It began to trail off but the direction pointed the group over a slight rise. They topped it and found the remaining bodies. Just on the other side of the hill was a shallow trench. Lined up inside were eight bodies, each with a single bullet wound to the head. "Looks like they were lined up and shot." Blake said. "All things considered, they got off easy."

"But whose blood were we following?" Pyrrha asked. "None of these victims would have bled like that."

"What's this?" Nora said. She pointed to a small concrete structure about a meter square, just barely sticking up out of the dirt. The others walked over. It looked like a hatch of some kind.

"It looks like a Grimm shelter." Ren said. "If all else fails, run and hide."

Pyrrha crouched down beside it. "It looks like there's some blood on it." She said, pointing to a crimson streak. "I'd guess our bleeder is down there." She opened the hatch, revealing a ladder that descended into darkness.

"Looks like my semblance will come in handy." Yang said. "Somebody activate me."

"Your hair looks kind of greasy." Ruby said.

"It is not!" Yang shouted. Her eyes flashed red and her hair burst into flames. "I can't believe you would say that." She grabbed hold of the ladder and climbed down. "Found the switch!" She called back up, her voice echoing off the walls as she flicked on the lights. "Oh my…"

"Yang, what is it?" Pyrrha called down after her.

"I think I'm going to be sick." Yang said. She came rushing up the ladder. "It's worse than the first one."

"I'd better have a look." Blake said.

"You shouldn't." Yang warned. "You really shouldn't. I don't know what you saw when you were with the White Fang but...don't, just don't."

"I have to." Blake said as she grabbed the ladder and slid down.

"She shouldn't be alone." Weiss said. She slid down next. The rest waited at the surface, trying to comfort Yang as she sat there with a thousand yard stare.

"This is Adam's work alright." Blake said. She seemed entirely unfazed.

Weiss stared in horror. The corpse of a Faunus man sat tied to a chair. It had been subject to untold horrors, left barely recognizable. Behind him, on the wall of the bunker, the word 'traitor' was written in blood. Weiss vomited and rushed back up the ladder.

Blake followed a few seconds later. "Adam and his men did this." Blake reported. "I'm sure of it."

"Do you think they're still nearby?" Ren asked.

"I doubt it." Blake replied. "He's not one to stay at the scene of a crime for long. He'll have a camp in the area, but it'll likely be a few miles away so he can't be easily tracked back to it."

"What happened here?" Weiss asked. She was shaking. "What was all that?"

"If I had to guess I'd say this settlement was hiding a former member of the White Fang, a runaway like myself." Blake explained. "Adam tracked him here, tortured the others to find out exactly where he was hiding, then executed the rest. He would have then dragged the guy out of the bunker, shown him everything he had done to his friends, then tortured him to death too."

"We should report back." Pyrrha suggested. "There's nothing left for us to do here."

"Yes, please." Ruby said. Even having not seen the worst of it, she was sickened. The others were just as ready to leave.

"It's strange." Blake said as the group started back. "Adam never would have attempted something like this. This is brutal, even by his standards. He usually leaves survivors, the better to spread the fear. I guess the world really is falling apart."

"Blake...if Qrow hadn't saved us…" Weiss started, still shaking.

"Yes, he would have done the same to us." Blake cut her off. "He probably would have done worse. Now do you see why I was prepared to kill us both?"

"Yes, but what I can't understand is how you even hesitated." Weiss said.

"Like I said before, because I love you." Blake said. "Even to spare you that, killing you would just...it would be too much."


	7. Run Like Hell

Chapter 7

The group reported back to the village. Their contact seemed horrified if not entirely surprised. "The White Fang probably isn't done here." Blake warned. "They'll know you have a connection to that settlement. I would post extra guards, just in case."

"I'll see what I can do." The contact said. "I'll send a group to collect the supplies and...bury the bodies."

"Make sure they had strong stomachs." Yang warned.

"Don't worry about that." The contact said. "This place isn't like the city. We've seen a lot."

"So have we." Yang said. She flexed her prosthetic as if to emphasize what the group had been through.

The contact got the message. "I'll pass along a warning." He said. "Your room for tonight will be free. The supplies you requested will be ready tomorrow."

* * *

"Don't you think this is taking a long time?" Taiyang asked. "He gave that scientist twelve hours. It's been longer than that."

"This is the military." Winter said. "Things get delayed. I'd be more surprised if he was on time." In truth she was a bit concerned as well. Screw-up were something of a tradition in the Atlesian military, but Ironwood was not one to tolerate the slightest issues. He was also punctual. She moved to the window and looked out. She had a decent view of Ironwood's ship. He was boarding it. "We need to go, now!" She shouted suddenly.

"What's going on?" Taiyang asked.

"No time!" Winter shouted. "Go!" She rushed out the door and Taiyang followed.

The two Knights guarding the room, one on each side of the door, were too slow to react as the pair came racing out. Down the hallway another pair of robots tried to stop them. Without breaking stride Winter punched one's head off while Taiyang elbowed the other in the chest hard enough to shatter its armor. They continued running, a left turn, then a right. They passed a group of soldiers - who clearly had no idea what was going on - that saluted Winter as she raced past. Winter burst out the door with Taiyang just behind. They ran around the corner of the building toward Ironwood's ship but were stopped in their tracks by a half dozen Paladins blocking their way, accompanied by a handful of soldiers.

Winter and Taiyang drew their weapons, ready to fell the robots if necessary. The soldiers seemed reluctant, backing up behind the autonomous weapons. "Winter Schnee and Taiyang Xiao-Long, stand down!" The soldiers' officer said. "Do not make us use force." Now it was a standoff. It was a short standoff.

With a rumble Ironwood's ship took to the sky. Now there was no reason to fight. Winter sheathed her blade. Taiyang let his weapon drop at his side as he stared skyward at the ever more distant ship. Again he had been fooled by Qrow and his cabal, left stranded while his daughters were in peril. He dropped to his knees crying and began pounding his fists on the ground. He knew there was no catching them now. Not only did they have two days worth of a head-start, he did not even know where they were headed.

"Pull yourself together Xiao-Long." Winter admonished. "This isn't over." She turned to the soldiers who by now just looked uncomfortable. "With the general's departure, I am now the ranking officer. I order you all to stand down."

The leader of the squad hesitated. He was figuring it out in his head. Winter was indeed the highest ranking officer present at the base. Plus, with Ironwood's ship gone, his order no longer mattered. "Very well." The soldier said. He holstered his weapon. The others did the same. The Paladins stomped off, returning to storage now that their work was done.

"I'm going to track him down." Winter declared. "If only so I can kick his ass."

Taiyang got his emotions under control enough to stop crying and get to his feet. "What's our next move?" He asked, wiping away what remained of his tears.

"There are a few people I need to speak with." Winter replied. "Ironwood's scientist friend is a good start."

* * *

The group spent a mostly restless night in their tiny room. What they had seen at the farm still haunted them. It probably would for a long time. The next morning their supplies were delivered. Once everything was packed into their backpacks, the group headed out. They still had a long way to go before reaching Eastport. Hopefully things would be easier then. Hopefully the horrors were behind them.

"Yang, I can tell you want to ask me something." Blake said after the group had been on the road for a while. "Just say it."

"Yesterday...at the farm...is that what you were protecting us from?" Yang asked.

"Yes." Blake confirmed. "Now do you see why I ran? Now do you forgive me?"

"I forgave you a long time ago." Yang said. "But now I think I understand a bit better. When it's just something you hear about...it doesn't have the same impact as seeing it with your own eyes."

"You didn't seem that...shocked." Pyrrha observed. She was choosing her words carefully. "Have you seen that sort of thing before?"

"Short answer, yes." Blake replied. "For you, for all of us, those sights are things we'll never forget. It's burned into our memories and will haunt us for all our days. We'll look back on that as a day when we saw true evil. The day those murders took place is one of infamy. For Adam it was just another day. He's killed so many people, in such...unspeakable ways. I doubt it even registers for him. A lot of White Fang are like that now. Before I left he wasn't as...savage. But he was still cruel. He still tortured. He made me watch. He tried to make me participate and when I refused he called me a coward. He shamed anyone who wouldn't torture or wouldn't kill in front of the others. The first time I saw him torture someone...I don't think I slept for a week. I couldn't see anything else when I closed my eyes. He had no such trouble."

"How can you sleep now?" Ruby asked.

"After a while, being exposed to that for so long, I guess I got used to it." Blake sighed. "Knowing that I let myself look at such cruelty as business as usual...it makes me sick. It got to the point where by the time I left, it was just another day for me too. I still feel so ashamed."

"You shouldn't." Weiss said. "It's only natural that you'd have to find a way to cope with that kind of trauma. If you didn't it would have driven you insane. You have nothing to be ashamed of. You rejected it. You left. Even now you're standing against it."

"I guess…" Blake said.

"You should be proud of the fact that you were able to reject that life." Yang said. "It would have been much easier to just go along with it."

"Yes, your willingness to take such a risk is quite admirable." Ren added.

"Maybe one day I'll be able to believe that." Blake said. "I just stood by for so long."

"The Blake I know is a good person." Ruby said. "It doesn't matter what you were like before. The fact that it still bothers you tells me all I need to know. We can all forgive you. We can all accept you. You really need to stop being so hard on yourself."

"I wish it was that easy." Blake said. "But thank you, all of you. I needed this."

* * *

Winter led Taiyang into the base's R&D section where they had met with Ironwood the day before. A few scientists and technicians were milling about. When they spotted the new arrivals they scrambled to hide what was presumably very advanced technology. One of them seemed calmer than the others and Winter headed straight for him. "I need to speak with your boss." Winter demanded.

"I'm afraid he's not here." The scientist said.

"Where is he?" Winter asked.

"He went with Ironwood." The scientist replied. "He was quite adamant about going along. His project is unfinished, and he would only allow Ironwood to deploy it if he could accompany him and work on it enroute."

"Do you have any idea where they went?" Winter asked.

"I was told nothing." The scientist answered. "Before you ask, I didn't overhear anything that would tip me off either. Dr. Polendina is very good at keeping secrets."

"Polendina...as in Penny Polendina?" Taiyang said.

"Why yes." The scientist confirmed. "I suppose there's no harm in admitting to the project since it was so publically laid bare."

"Is that the project he took with him?" Taiyang pressed.

"I can neither confirm nor deny that." The scientist said.

"You will confirm or deny it or I will have you disciplined, severely." Winter ordered.

The scientist sighed. "Yes, P.E.N.N.Y. is the project." The scientist admitted. "I don't think that will help you find them though. Ironwood is intent on deploying it again, but said nothing to me about where or to what end."

"Thank you for your time." Winter said, her threatening tone instantly replaced by a polite one. "You may return to your work." Winter led Taiyang off the base and the headed for the Schnee mansion.

"Shouldn't we check flight records or something?" Taiyang asked. "There must be something to tell us where Ironwood went."

"Unfortunately I'm not cleared to access that sort of information." Winter sighed. "It seems we've reached a dead end. Perhaps the video my sister sent will shed some light on their plans. Still, if she was able to evade our father and most of the Atlesian army, I suspect she's too smart to let it slip."

* * *

Ironwood's airship flew over Vale, sailing over the wilderness east of the city. Qrow had set things in motion and he was going to be there when the time came for him to play his part. He was also curious about the group's progress. He could track Qrow's scroll, assuming he was still using the same one, and wherever Qrow was his group would be nearby. When he tracked them down they were further along than expected, already almost halfway to Eastport. As he pondered just how direct his involvement should be, his scroll beeped.

It was Qrow. "Ironwood." He said.

"Yes Jimmy, I may be drunk but I know who I called." Qrow said.

"I wish you wouldn't call me Jimmy." Ironwood sighed.

"And I wish you wouldn't fly your ship so close." Qrow said. "They're not supposed to know we're watching."

"I'll be continuing on to Mistral anyway." Ironwood said. "Is there anything I need to do?"

"Do you have the girl?" Qrow asked.

"You mean Penny?" Ironwood said.

"Yes." Qrow confirmed.

"I do." Ironwood said.

"Don't let her out in public." Qrow said.

"I wasn't planning to." Ironwood said. "We haven't had time to alter her appearance and her presence would arouse suspicion."

"Your presence is enough to arouse suspicion." Qrow laughed. "Stay away from Haven and try to keep a low profile. I know it's hard for a soldier like you to sit there without shooting anything, but do your best."

"You call me a soldier but you're the one leading the troops." Ironwood said pointedly. "We're more alike than you're willing to admit."

"Why do you think I drink?" Qrow shot back. "Just don't screw everything up...again."

"I'm sorry." Ironwood said. "I really am. I will not repeat my mistakes."

"And I won't repeat Ozpin's." Qrow said. "See you in Mistral." He hung up.

With a heavy sigh Ironwood put his scroll away. He stared out the window at the forest below, looking at nothing in particular. He really was sorry. He felt responsible for the disaster at Beacon. He was supposed to be protecting the place and his forces ended up doing a big share of the damage. It seemed everything he tried to do to help only made things worse. Now it was his chance to redeem himself, but he was not sure he could. He was not sure he ever could.

"General Ironwood." Dr. Polendina said.

"Yes doctor?" Ironwood said.

"Penny is ready for deployment." Dr. Polendina sighed. "If it's really necessary."

"It won't be necessary." Ironwood said. "At least not for the time being. If there's anything you can improve, you may as well do it now."

"I'm not sure there's anything I can do." Dr. Polendina said. "About all I'd want to do is change the way she looks, but we don't have the equipment to properly alter her appearance."

"Is she active?" Ironwood asked.

"Yes, she's awake." Dr. Polendina replied.

"How...is she?" Ironwood asked.

"She's very confused." Dr. Polendina answered. "There are gaps in her memory. She doesn't remember...the event."

"Alright then." Ironwood said. "Dismissed." Dr. Polendina started to leave the bridge. "Hold on, one more thing." Ironwood called. The pudgy scientist spun around to face him. "See to it that she's as happy as possible. It's the least we can do."

* * *

In this part of Vale the villages were few and far between. The group would not be sleeping with a roof over their heads tonight. A few hours after dark they set up camp in a small clearing just off the road. Again they would take turns on sentry duty. Yang went first. As she circled the camp she could not shake the feeling that she was being watched. It would not have surprised her if she found out that Qrow was shadowing the group - in fact she expected he was - but she felt like it was not him. Something about it felt...sinister. It was unnerving, but as her shift ended without incident she had to think she was just being paranoid.

* * *

Winter and Taiyang sat there watching Weiss' video. She spent most of it talking about nothing important. She talked about her relationship with Blake which Winter found to be quite amusing. From the way Weiss described things, it sounded delightfully awkward. Ah, young love. Then Weiss went on to talk about the training the group had been doing. It was nothing special, but Weiss seemed encouraged and that made Winter happy.

Then Weiss' demeanor shifted. The smile on her face turned to a stern expression and she looked around as if to make sure no one would hear her. "We're going to leave soon." Weiss said. "The people who are responsible for what happened at Beacon, we're going after them. Ruby found out where they are. We're going to get there however we can and then we're going to stop Cinder and her group."

"Cinder…" Winter whispered.

"I'm sorry but I can't tell you where we're going." Weiss continued. "We can't risk anyone trying to stop us. This is something we need to do. Whether we can actually succeed or not...we have to try. It's our duty. Even if you figure out where we're going, please, please don't try to stop us. And try not to worry too much. I hope we'll get a chance to see each other soon."

Then the video cut to static for a few seconds before Qrow appeared on the screen. "Hey Ice Queen." He slurred. "And if I'm right, hello Taiyang. Sorry again. I'll keep them safe, you have my word." Taiyang clenched his fists at the sight of Qrow, digging his nails into his palms. "Like Weiss said, try not to worry too much. It's a shame I can't risk telling you where they're going, because I'm sure they could use the help." He winked. "See you soon Ice Queen."

Taiyang looked angry enough to kill someone. "I want to kill him." He said.

"Me too." Winter agreed. She was lying, maybe. "Did that give you any idea where they might be?"

"No." Taiyang groaned. "Now we've got nothing to go on."

"Yes, it's a shame." Winter said. "I'm sorry I couldn't help you find your daughters."

"And I'm sorry I couldn't help find your sister." Taiyang sighed. His emotions were swinging wildly from rage to despair and every point between. "I guess I should just go home."

"It's late." Winter said. "You won't be able to get on an airship to Vale before the morning. I'll have a room prepared for you. It's the least I can do."

"That sounds...sure." Taiyang said. "I'm exhausted. I could certainly use a good night's rest."

Winter summoned a servant and had a room readied for Taiyang. He retired early, just as Winter had hoped. She had some research to do. She accessed the Atlas Military Intelligence network from her computer. She searched for the name Cinder, cross referencing it with Vale, Beacon and the Vytal Festival Tournament. The military had nothing. So she went to public records and news reports and there it was. A tournament participant named Cinder who also happened to be on the team the included Mercury. His last name rang alarm bells for Winter. Black was the name of an infamous assassin, probably Mercury's father. Another member of the team was Emerald. She was a wanted thief. She got no hits for the team's final member, but she was pretty sure she had found what she was looking for. They were billed as being from Haven. It might be a lie, but it was the only lead Winter had. Now Winter had a dilemma. Would she tell Taiyang and join forces to stop her sister and his daughters, or would she keep it to herself and join Ironwood and Qrow in covertly aiding them? It was not an easy decision.

* * *

The next village was almost a whole day's journey away so the group was up at dawn. They quickly broke down their camp and hit the road. If they hurried they might even make it to the village in time for dinner.

Yang could not shake the feeling she had had the night before. "Hey Ruby." She said. Ruby had been on the last watch.

"What's up?" Ruby asked.

"Last night, did you...feel like...someone was watching you?" Yang asked.

"Not really." Ruby replied.

"I guess it's just me then." Yang sighed.

"I felt that the first night." Pyrrha said. "Even before we left Patch I felt like someone was watching us."

"You think Qrow's following us?" Yang asked. "I have to assume he's keeping track of us. He's too good of a scout to not."

"I don't think that's what I felt." Pyrrha replied. "I know what it felt like when he was watching us train, but it was different. It was as if…"

"It felt threatening, right?" Yang said.

"You felt it too." Pyrrha sighed. "What do you think it means?"

"The way I see it there are two possibilities." Yang answered. "Either there's no one and we're just paranoid, and given everything that's happened it wouldn't exactly be surprising. Or there is someone watching us, and that person means us harm."


	8. Learning to Fly

**Author's Note:** An OC briefly appears in this chapter. Don't worry, he doesn't stick around long. Just needed him to make a point and move the plot along.

* * *

Chapter 8

Taiyang woke late in the morning. Even with all his anxiety he had had no trouble sleeping. He had never experienced such luxury and comfort. He was amazed the any Schnee could function in the outside world when their home was such a paradise. Of course being a guest was different from living there. Taiyang could recognize that such a place could easily begin to feel like a prison when viewed from the other side. He took a quick shower and dressed, expecting to head home to Patch. He did not want to give up, but with no leads as to where his daughters had gone, there was little he could do.

On his way out Taiyang pulled one of the servants aside. "Is Winter around?" He asked. "I wanted to thank her for her help, even if it came to nothing."

"She left hours ago." The servant informed him.

Something about the woman's face made him suspicious. "Might I ask where she went?" He inquired. "That way I can mail her a thank you."

"I am under no circumstances to tell you where she has gone, on her orders." The servant said. "She did leave a letter for you though."

Taiyang's anger was already rising. She could not possibly have… He opened the letter and began reading:

 _Mr. Xiao-Long,_

 _I believe I have discovered where my sister and your daughters are headed. I have decided to aid them in their quest. It is unbecoming that I had to leave without informing you, but I could not allow you to get in the way. You may use one of my family's private airships to return home. A pilot is waiting to take you to Patch whenever you like. I will do everything in my power to ensure the safety of your daughters and their friends. You have my word._

 _My Sincerest Apologies,_

 _Winter Schnee_

"You're going to tell me where she went, now." Taiyang demanded through gritted teeth as he crumpled the letter. "My daughters' lives are at stake. I will do anything to protect them. I am a trained Huntsman, and I will not hesitate to use my skills to get the answers I need."

"That contingency has been prepared for." The servant said. She reached into her pocket and touched a button on her scroll. In moments dozens of soldiers rushed into the room. They surrounded Taiyang, guns drawn. "I suggest you return home Mr. Xiao-Long."

Taiyang had been betrayed again. It was happening a lot lately. "I will not forget this." Taiyang seethed. Good a fighter as he was, he was not going to take on a squad of elite Atlesian soldiers. He put his hands in the air and started for the door. Before leaving he turned back for one last statement. "One day, however long it takes, I will make you all pay for this. If I ever see Winter again, I swear I will end her."

* * *

The group was making great time. Originally hoping to arrive at their destination in the evening, they were on pace to make it to the village by mid-afternoon. But as they rounded a corner on the trail, it soon became clear that there was trouble. Previously hidden by the trees but now visible straight ahead, a large column of thick black smoke rose into the sky. It appeared to be coming from the general location of the village. There was no reasonable scenario in which that was a good sign. Spurred on by the desire to help, they rushed ahead, unsure of what awaited them.

As they neared the village they came upon a woman and a man carrying a child heading in the opposite direction. The trio were bruised and bloodied with terror in their eyes. "You've got to run!" The man shouted at the approaching group. "Get away while you still can."

"What's happening?" Weiss asked.

"Grimm." The woman said.

"There were so many." The man added. "There's nothing...no one left."

"A Huntsman stayed behind to buy us time." The woman said. "He was looking for other survivors too but I don't think…"

"We're Hunters." Ruby said. "We'll help."

"Just go, it's already too late." The man implored. "Don't throw your lives away."

"We're helping." Ruby declared.

"Yeah!" Nora shouted as she took hold of Magnhild.

"Try to save the Huntsman if you can." The woman said. "We're only alive because of him."

"We will do everything we can." Pyrrha promised. As the family of refugees continued their flight, the warriors headed straight for the danger.

* * *

As they approached the village they could hear gunshots. Someone was still alive. They picked up the pace, soon arriving at a scene of carnage. A stone wall had once surrounded the village but now large sections had been reduced to rubble. Inside just about every building was on fire or already burned out. Shattered a shredded bodies littered the ground. More Grimm rushed out of the forest, ignoring the group and heading into the ruined village. The warriors charged after, shooting and slicing their way through the monsters as they rushed toward the sound of gunfire.

In the central square they found a lone man wielding a revolver. He was surrounded by the rapidly evaporating remains of Grimm. He looked like a soldier, but the blood and soot on his uniform made identifying him or where he had come from all but impossible. A Beowolf came charging out from between a pair of burning buildings and rushed straight at the man. He turned, took careful aim with one of his guns, and fired a single bullet that blew the top of the Grimm's head off. It was soon followed by three more, all dropped by nearly identical shots. More Grimm came at the man and now the group was able to intervene. The Huntsman cooly reloaded his weapon as the new arrivals cut down the creatures.

"Who are you?" Ruby asked. "And why is everything on fire?"

"Colonel Asher Waters, Atlesian Army, retired." The Huntsman said with a salute. He was an older man and obviously severely injured, but he showed no signs of giving up. "I'd guess the fire was accidental. It was already burning when I arrived."

"What happened here?" Yang asked.

"I came back from a mission to find almost everyone dead." Waters replied. He scanned the edges of the square for more attackers. "It must have been a hell of an attack to overcome the defenses. I got what survivors I could out."

"Now you should leave too." Blake suggested.

"No, I need to buy them more time." Waters said. "As long as the Grimm are here attacking me, they're not chasing down more helpless victims." He spotted something and fired a quartet of shots over Ren's shoulder. With a heavy thud an Ursa dropped to the ground and began to evaporate. "You kids are the ones who should leave."

"We're not going anywhere." Ruby said. "We're Hunters too. It's our duty to fight."

"Don't throw your lives away." Waters warned.

"Together we can win this." Pyrrha said.

"You sound confident but I can sense that they're gathering for another push." Waters said. "These Grimm aren't stupid and there are a lot of them. Just leave me."

"We're not going anywhere." Ren said.

"Those Grimm are going to pay!" Nora shouted.

"Damn kids." Waters grumbled. "Fine. But if we start getting overwhelmed you're to fall back. Understood?" No one said anything. They had no intention of retreating, no matter what the Huntsman said. "Now get ready. They're coming."

The man's uncanny sense for what the Grimm were up to proved accurate. With a cacophony of howls audible over the crackling fire and collapsing of buildings, a wave of Grimm rushed into the square through the paths created by the rubble. The funnels made them easier to kill. Ruby lined up a shot and with a single pull of the trigger downed a trio of Beowolves. With a mighty swing of her hammer, Nora knocked an Ursa into one of the burning structures where it was incinerated. The close quarters were ideal for Yang who got right up to one of the alleys and blasted away with her shotguns. Weiss added more fire, filling in gaps with flames as the Grimm attempted to enter the square. Blake and Ren had less firepower but together were able to plug gaps just as well as the others. In addition to taking pot-shots with Ruber Mors, Pyrrha used her semblance to pull metal debris from the rubble to pierce and crush the attacking monsters. With the calm he had displayed since they had met him, Waters carefully picked off any Grimm that managed to slip through.

The numbers were insane. There were far more Grimm here than there had been back on Patch. For every one killed two more seemed to take its place. Ammunition began to become an issue. The supplies the group had procured earlier in their journey were proving to be insufficient for a sustained battle. They had not expected to face anything but isolated pockets of Grimm. Just when things were looking bad the attacks began to slacken. The avenues of approach to the square were clogged with evaporating Grimm and it seemed their numbers had finally been exhausted. Then, for the first time since they had started fighting, there was near silence. Sure, the fire still burned and the creaks of collapsing buildings called out, but the howls, roars and gunshots were gone.

"Did we win?" Ruby asked.

"Clear over here!" Yang called.

"All clear!" Weiss yelled.

"No further contacts." Blake reported.

"They're all dead!" Nora exclaimed.

"I think that's all of them!" Pyrrha shouted.

"I guess we got them." Ruby said, heaving a sigh of relief. "I'm dry on ammo."

"Me too." Blake said.

"Empty." Ren said.

"I'm all out." Pyrrha said. The others still had some left but they were dangerously low. It had been a very close run thing.

"Alright then Colonel, let's get out of here." Weiss said.

"I'm afraid I'm not going anywhere." Waters said. He looked off into the distance. "The rest of you should really leave now." He started walking toward one of the edges of the square.

"What's going on?" Yang asked.

"Run!" Waters shouted. "Now!" He began firing into the smoke and flames that rose into the sky. "Take cover!" The others scattered as Waters kept firing. He emptied one revolver, holstered it and drew another. He emptied that into the blackness as well. He drew the first again, slammed the pair together and they transformed into a long curved saber. Before he could bring the sword to bear, a Giant Nevermore burst out of the smoke and flames and slammed into him with its talons before soaring back up into the sky with a deafening screech.

Nora converted Magnhild into its grenade launcher form and turned it skyward, blasting the massive Grimm with several projectiles. Weiss used a glyph to launch a stream of ice shards at the beast. Blake rushed over to where Waters lie motionless on the ground and dragged him to a covered position. "What's the plan?" Ren asked. "We can't even shoot at it."

"We need to get it on the ground." Ruby said.

"And how are we supposed to do that?" Weiss asked as she launched more ice at the circling Grimm.

"Forget that." Pyrrha said. "Buy me some time. I have a plan."

The Nevermore swooped down again. Yang blasted at it with the few shots she had remaining before diving aside. Just behind her Ruby ducked before lifting her scythe and slicing across the Grimm's abdomen. It screeched and kept flying, the injury little more than an inconvenience to it. It circled back and flew in low again. Using her glyphs Weiss created a wall of ice in the Nevermore's path. It crashed through the barrier effortlessly but aborted its attack run as Nora fired her last grenades at it.

"Pyrrha, are you ready yet?!" Yang shouted.

"Almost!" Pyrrha replied. She was doing something with the burning debris off to one side of the square.

Weiss launched more ice at the Grimm but she was exhausted. She could barely dive aside as it attacked her. Blake punished the beast for the attack, leaping and cutting into it with her blade as it passed overhead. Ren went one better. He leapt up and hooked one of his blades into the Nevermore's belly. He used that blade to anchor himself as he used the other to slice into it. The creature shrieked and flew in low toward a burning building. Ren dropped off just before being slammed into the flaming debris, and instead only the Nevermore was burned.

"I'm ready!" Pyrrha reported, not that it mattered. Either she would take the beast out or it would end them instead. The Nevermore circled around the square, the flames below casting orange light onto the creature. The others scattered as Pyrrha stood in the open. The monster spotted her and dove straight at her. Moving her hands as if casting a spell, Pyrrha used her semblance to lift a large and pointed metal beam out of the flaming rubble behind her. She thrust her hands toward the Grimm and the beam, glowing red-hot, rocketed skyward. The Nevermore attempted to avoid the projectile but it slammed into its chest, scything completely through it and bursting out its back. The beast screeched and came crashing down at the edge of the square. After a few moments it began to evaporate.

It was finally over. The Nevermore was down. They could catch their breath. "That was incredible!" Weiss exclaimed.

"I'm just glad it worked." Pyrrha said.

"I'm so turned on right now." Yang said.

"Yang!" Pyrrha shouted. Yang just laughed.

"Guys, come quick!" Ruby shouted. She knelt at Waters' side. "He's in bad shape!" The others rushed over and gathered around. Ren retrieved a first aid kit and pushed Ruby aside so he could try to help.

"I'm already dead kid." Waters said weakly. "Don't waste your time." He looked up at the group and smiled. "You're all incredible warriors. You should be proud of yourselves."

"We can save you." Ruby said. "There's another village not too far away. They'll have a hospital."

"I won't make it out of this village." Waters coughed. "I'd rather die right here. Everyone I cared about lived in this village and they're all dead. Just let me join them."

"One family survived." Ruby said. "We passed them on the way here."

"At least I saved someone." Waters said, barely audible. "I'm telling you, I'm not going to make it no matter what you do."

"He's right." Ren said. "Trying to move him will only kill him quicker."

"This is what we Huntsman do." Waters sighed. "We spend our lives fighting, but we never really win. We just leave the fight for the next generation. I'm sorry for that." He coughed violently. "I hope you find a happier ending than I did." The old Huntsman breathed his last. There was no time for mourning.

"We can't stay here." Blake said. "We're in no shape to fight if more Grimm show up, and we need to deliver the news of what happened here."

"Blake's right." Weiss said.

Nora stood in the back of the group, silently crying her eyes out. The scene was one that was all too familiar to her. Ren stood and hugged her while she buried her face in his coat. He remained as impassive as ever. "Let's go." He said. "There's nothing more for us to do here."

* * *

The group moved on and arrived at the next village shortly after midnight. Recognizing the ordeal they had endured, the mayor provided them with a free room for the night and promised to supply them for their journey. In the morning he would send out a party to look for survivors and bury the dead. Villages could be and were routinely wiped off the map without warning. It was a fact of life outside the kingdoms. The people living on the edge out there could only hope it would never happen to them, and try to help those it did happen to as best they could.

That night the group got little sleep. It had less to do with the horrors of the day than Nora. Her nightmares were back with a vengeance and she kept screaming in her sleep. Ren refused to let anyone wake her. When suddenly awakened from a nightmare Nora had a tendency to lash out in terror, risking injury to herself and those around her.

"What happened to make her like this?" Ruby asked.

"When Nora and I were little, our village was attacked by Grimm." Ren explained. "Nora and I were able to hide but everyone else was killed. We heard them screaming and calling out for help, and we heard those screams silenced. After a few hours a group of Hunters arrived and cleared out the Grimm. When we came out of hiding they tried to shield us from the scene but we saw everything. We had seen a few people killed while we were trying to hide, but when we came out we saw everything. People we knew, people we loved, had been torn to shreds. Everything we knew had been destroyed. Nora had seen her parents being attacked before we hid and when we came out she found their bodies. One of the Hunters had to drag her away from their corpses. She didn't stop crying for days. I don't know why, but I was never able to show that kind of emotion after that. I know I can seem cold and uncaring sometimes, and I would very much like to feel and display the same range of emotions as normal people, but guess I'm just numb. I guess that's how I cope, by never feeling much of anything. Nora copes by pretending to be happy all the time. She was always high-energy, but she's not nearly as manic or crazy as she can seem. It's an act. If she's busy being happy all the time she won't have a chance to feel sad about what happened."

"What's the story with her nightmares?" Weiss asked.

"She has them when she's stressed." Ren replied. "It's the only opportunity for her real emotions to come out. When she's actually happy, she doesn't have them. She can push those memories to the back of her mind. When there's trouble, she can't ignore it anymore. I wish there was more I could do for her."

"You already do plenty for her." Pyrrha encouraged. "I think just being there is enough."

"Maybe." Ren said. "I just wish I could make all that trauma go away. She was always so happy before that, but it was real happiness. Now, it's not the same. I can tell the difference. It makes me wonder if she'll ever be truly happy again."


	9. Terminal Frost

Chapter 9

Only one obstacle remained between the group and Eastport. The city was ringed by tall mountains. It kept the Grimm out, but it also made getting in difficult. That would entail climbing a steep and treacherous trail over the mountains and down the other side. It was the beginning of winter and parts of Vale were already seeing snowfall. At the higher altitudes the group would have to face, it would be downright frigid. Add to that the fact that the weather was entirely unpredictable. It was not unheard of for previously sunny skies to be blotted out by blizzard conditions in a matter of minutes. The journey over the mountains would also take more than one day, meaning the group would be forced to camp along the way.

They stayed in the village an extra day, doing odd jobs and manning the walls to make some money. Along with ammunition and general provisions, the group procured some climbing gear and tents to use along the way. Given the weather they would not be able to sleep in the open as they had done previously. They also picked up some cold-weather clothing, though they were warned that it would be entirely insufficient. Everyone in the village who found out what they were planning tried to dissuade them. No one crossed the mountains at this time of year. At least no sane person. Those who tried either quickly gave up and returned or pressed on and died. It was suicide. But those people were not Hunters, and they were not on a mission. Nothing was going to stop the group from completing their journey. Waiting until spring was simply not an option.

The climb into the mountains was initially tricky, but not really difficult. Their gear was good enough to get them up the steep and slippery path. It did not help them when they reached a section of path blanketed in deep snow. Only small poles poking up through the snow indicated where the path was, and the deep snow slowed their progress. It was cold as well, too cold for the clothing they had purchased. Still, their auras kept them warm enough. Their bodies were burning more energy to maintain the temperature and protective auras, but they had the food they would need. They reached the top of the first pass before the end of the first day. The second pass would be higher, but with them already at altitude, it would be less of a climb. As the sun began to set they found a relatively flat area to make camp for the night.

In the morning the group ate a large breakfast before heading out. Their trek took them down into a valley then back up the mountain on the other side. By now the path was entirely covered in snow, any bare spots far behind them. Their climb was slow and slick but they pressed on. After midday they finally reached the highest point of their trek. Here the path was narrow, only wide enough for about two people side-by-side, with a steep rock face on the right and a sheer cliff dropping off on the left. The weather worsened with snow and high winds. They clung to the side of the mountain as they made their way along. At this rate they were going to have to spend another night in the mountains, and at much higher altitude than the night before. They wanted to go faster, but they were exhausted, and a misstep made in haste could be deadly.

"What's that?" Yang asked. She squinted, struggling to see through the blowing snow. "I think there's someone ahead."

"Who would be crazy enough to be up here?" Weiss asked. "You must be hallucinating." But as she stepped up beside Yang she saw the figure too. The group began to approach cautiously as the figure remained motionless in the center of the path ahead. "Is that…"

"We meet again." The figure said.

"Adam!" Blake shouted. She immediately drew her weapon and the others followed.

"Miss me darling?" Adam laughed. "I've been a bit lonely myself since the others refused to follow me up here."

"He's alone." Yang said. "Now's our chance to take him out." Weiss agreed. The pair charged forward.

"Hold on, it could be a trap." Ren warned, chasing them.

"Very good." Adam said. He pulled a scroll from his pocket and tapped at it.

A series of thunderous explosions shook the path as explosives planted higher on the mountain detonated. In an instant snow and rock was tumbling down toward the group. Adam ducked into the cover of a rock outcrop. The group attempted to retreat but it was too late for some of them. Yang and Weiss were quickly swallowed up and carried off the cliff. Ren jabbed one of his weapons into the ground and held on while the others just escaped the torrent. Seeing Ren in danger, Nora turned around and headed toward him. Ren saw her coming. He did not want her to sacrifice herself for him. He closed his eyes and jerked his weapon free, allowing himself to be carried away.

Nora fell to her knees and screamed as Ren disappeared along with Weiss and Yang. A few seconds later the avalanche ended. Untouched, Adam remained where he had hidden at the start. Pyrrha took hold of Nora's shoulders and began to pull her back. Adam stood, a wicked smile on his face. "Shame, I had hoped it would kill more of you." He sighed. "No matter. I'll finish the job. Oh Blake, that's your cue to flee, my love." He began to draw his blade.

Just before Adam's blade left its scabbard Pyrrha reached out her hand and slammed it back into place with her semblance. "I think you're the one who should be running." Pyrrha threatened. She readied her weapons and edged forward. Adam stood still for a moment before deciding it was not the fight he wanted. His face contorted with rage and humiliation. He turned around and disappeared into the storm.

"Ren!" Nora sobbed. Blake quickly arrived to restrain Nora before she could throw herself off the edge after Ren. "I can't...I don't...Ren…" She collapsed and lay in the snow, crying inconsolably.

Ruby had not moved a muscle since the explosions. She stared straight ahead with tears streaming down her face. "They're...gone…" She said, almost at a whisper. "It's...all my fault. I just wanted to save the world and now...they're dead. First Penny and Jaune died because I wasn't fast enough, and now they're gone because I dragged us all out here on this stupid adventure."

Blake stepped up to Ruby and grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her at arm's length. "It's not your fault." She said. "None of it's your fault."

Pyrrha turned from her attempts to soothe Nora. "They're not dead." Pyrrha assured her. "If anyone could have survived that, it's them. Don't fall apart now."

"We need to go after them!" Nora shouted. She struggled to free herself from Pyrrha's grip, trying to get to the edge.

"It's too dangerous to just follow them." Pyrrha said. "The path ahead descends safely. They'll know that too and meet us."

"Or they won't, because they're dead." Ruby cried. "I may as well have killed them myself. I never wanted any of this to happen. I just wanted to be like the heroes in the storybooks. Now my sister's dead because I'm stupid and childish."

"Ruby, you can't give up." Blake insisted. "I haven't given up. You're the leader. You can still be a hero, but you need to lead us."

"But everything I try to do goes wrong." Ruby sobbed. "If you keep following me, you'll all end up dead too."

"No one is going to die." Pyrrha declared. "Now pull yourself together. If we're going to reach them before nightfall, we need to get moving."

"Just leave me behind." Ruby sighed. "It'll be better for everyone."

"I didn't want to do this." Pyrrha said. She swapped places with Blake, took a deep breath and slapped Ruby across the face. "It's not your fault. You're a great leader. You are going to be the hero and save the world. You just need to believe it." Ruby was stunned. "Was that too hard? I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

"No, I needed that." Ruby cut her off. "You're right. We need to get moving." Ruby was not convinced about the rest of what Pyrrha had said, but standing there would not do anyone any good. "We need to see if we can help them."

"Good." Pyrrha said with a gentle smile. "Let's get down there."

* * *

After the initial shock, Weiss had regained her bearings and used her glyphs to surf atop the wave of snow and rock until it settled into the bottom of the valley. It had been touch-and-go a few times as she darted between the trees, but she had made it unscathed. She knew she was not the only one who had gone over the edge. She would have to find the others. Ren was easy to spot. He had managed to hook a tree with his weapon on the way down and was still hanging from it, quite a distance off the ground. He was unhurt as well and dropped down to join Weiss. He had seen that Yang had been the only other one to fall, so he and Weiss set about searching for her.

Yang was similarly easy to find. Weiss and Ren found a glowing crater in the snow at the base of the valley. At the bottom Yang was laying on her back, engulfed in flame. Her cold-weather clothing had been entirely burned away, leaving only her fireproof everyday attire. "Can I get a little help?" She asked when she spotted the others. Her left arm was pinned beneath a sizable boulder. "I'd move it myself but it hurts...a lot." Ren and Weiss moved the boulder and found that Yang's arm was badly broken between her elbow and Ember Celica.

"We need to splint that." Ren advised. He retrieved an ice axe from his backpack and used some cloth to tie it around Yang's arm.

"It's going to take a long time to heal, isn't it?" Yang asked. She already knew. The fire surrounding her faded and her eyes returned to their normal purple.

"Even if your aura was at maximum strength, it could take over a week." Ren confirmed. "Given the current conditions and our state of exhaustion, it will take longer."

"Good thing I have this." Yang sighed as she flexed her prosthetic.

"I hope the others are alright." Weiss said, gazing up the mountain towards the spot from which they had fallen.

"Pyrrha's with them." Yang said. "They'll be fine."

"We should still try to meet up with them as soon as possible." Weiss suggested. "The path winds its way to a spot not too far from here. We can set up camp there."

"They have the tents." Ren reminded her.

"Then we'll have to use the human campfire to keep warm." Weiss said, looking at Yang.

"That's not good for her health." Ren warned.

"Then hopefully they'll get there soon." Yang said. She smacked the part of her arm that was broken, and grunted in pain. Her hair burst into flames and her eyes blazed red. "Let's go."

* * *

Nora had a grim determination as the quartet made their way down the icy path. Even in the deep snow she had almost skipped her way up the mountain, but now she stomped ahead, her perpetual smile replaced by a look of barely-checked aggression. Pyrrha was pretty sure Nora would be alright. At least as long as they found Ren alive. When it came to Ruby, Pyrrha was not so sure. There were few overt signs that Ruby was suffering, but the way she gazed off the towering drops that lined the path seemed to say she was ready to leap off. Pyrrha was sure to keep an eye on her and stay within arm's reach, just in case. If Blake was feeling anything she did not betray it in the slightest. As for Pyrrha herself, she was confident that her friends would be alright. Some snow and a little tumble off a cliff would not keep them down.

After over an hour of walking the sun was beginning to set. The four rounded another slick switchback and were greeted by a light further down the mountain. It looked like a fire. That was a very good sign. They had been trudging along, barely able to force their legs through the snow from exhaustion, but now they raced ahead, slipping and sliding along. "REN!" Nora shouted. He was standing by the fire, which turned out to be Yang. As Nora sped towards him he edged away from the others, knowing what was coming. He took a deep breath and put his arms up just as Nora leaped into him, sending the pair tumbling into the snow. "You're okay!"

"Yeah, I'm alright." Ren said with a shrug as he sat up. He and Nora smiled at each other for a moment before she wrapped him in a tight embrace.

"I see you took the easy way down." Blake said as she approached Weiss. "It looked like fun but I didn't bring my toboggan."

"I was worried about you too." Weiss said. She hugged Blake. "What happened to Adam?"

"Pyrrha showed off her semblance and he ran." Blake replied. "Seeing him run away was...satisfying."

"I'll bet." Weiss agreed. "I'm just glad you're alright."

"Shouldn't I be the one saying that?" Blake asked.

"Just shut up and kiss me." Weiss ordered.

"I knew a little tumble couldn't keep you down." Pyrrha said to Yang. "What happened to your arm?"

"Oh, I had a little run-in with a boulder." Yang sighed. "I've had worse, obviously. I am getting a little sick of Adam messing up my arms though. Were you worried about me?"

"Not really." Pyrrha admitted. "I know you can take a lot of punishment. Ruby was pretty concerned though."

Ruby stood nearby crying, her hands covering her mouth. She dropped her arms to her sides. "I thought you were dead." She cried.

"You should know better than that." Yang laughed. "I'll never just leave you like that." As the flames in her hair faded she walked over to Ruby and wrapped her in a one-arm hug.

"You're hurt because of me." Ruby sobbed. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not hurt because of you." Yang said.

"But I dragged you all along on this stupid adventure." Ruby protested. "None of this would have happened without me. I'm a bad leader."

"You didn't drag anyone anywhere." Yang said. "We came along because we wanted to. If you didn't decide to lead us out, one of the others would have done it. There was no way we could just keep sitting on Patch doing nothing. And you're a great leader, the best. We never would have made it this far without you, and now we're almost there! Don't give up now!"

"You're...you're right." Ruby said. She was less-than-convinced, but she had at least been pulled back from the brink.

"That's the spirit." Yang said. "Now let's set up camp. I'm freezing."

* * *

After a restless night spent fearing another attack - Adam was still out there - the group set out at dawn. They did not have far to go to get through the mountains. The path ahead was winding and undulating, but the worst was behind them. They emerged from the mountains in the afternoon, much to the shock of those living on the outskirts of Eastport. No one came through the mountains at that time of year. No one even tried. But there they were, weary but alive and triumphant. Some friendly residents fed them and a local doctor put a cast on Yang's arm. Then they headed for Eastport proper.

The city of Eastport was only a little smaller than Vale. It was less populated to be sure, but it was still a very large and relatively crowded city. The group sold their climbing gear. The extra cash would ease their passage to Mistral. They headed for the docks. An airship ride was still out of their price range, but a cargo ship was leaving the following day and the captain was happy to make a little extra cash to ferry the group to Mistral. Actually they would be sailing to Windy Shoals, a small port on the west coast of Mistral. It was not as good as a direct trip to the city of Mistral, but it would have to do. Once in Mistral they would have access to Pyrrha's wealth, and they could take an airship from the port directly to Haven. They even had a little money left over to rent a hotel room, allowing them to get some much needed rest.

* * *

Qrow was tremendously proud of his little army. They had faced obstacles even he had not anticipated and still been barely slowed down. They might just be the ones to save the world after all. At the very least they had passed the first test. He had considered stepping in to help with the Nevermore and then again after the avalanche, but he had restrained himself and his help had proved unnecessary. Now they were practically there. With Winter and Ironwood onboard, success was very nearly assured. Qrow decided to move on and get to Windy Shoals ahead of the group. From there he could begin coordinating with his allies and prepare for the final push. Rather than taking a ship, Qrow would fly, though his trip would be a little different.

* * *

As the group boarded the ship the following day, Pyrrha paused at the top of the gangplank. "What's wrong?" Yang asked.

"Something doesn't feel right." Pyrrha said. "I still feel like we're being watched."

"You think it's Adam?" Yang asked.

"No." Pyrrha replied. "I don't quite know how to explain it, but I'm pretty sure we've seen the last of him, at least for a while. I'm still getting the same feeling I've had from the beginning though. I'm so glad to be getting out of Vale. Maybe we can leave this behind."

"I certainly hope so." Yang said. "Are you looking forward to going home? I'm certainly looking forward to seeing Mistral."

"Not really." Pyrrha admitted. "I don't have the best of memories of Mistral, though Vale is infinitely worse. It will be nice to be back though. We'll finally be able to take advantage of my fortune and fame."

"I can't wait to get on an airship." Yang said. "Walking all this way has been a real hassle."

Pyrrha smiled. "That's something I think we can all agree on."


	10. Marooned

Chapter 10

The voyage was a short one, one the captain had made many times before. Just head east until you reach the coast of Mistral, then ride the current north right to Windy Shoals. Sure, the rocks lurking just beneath the surface of the water a little closer to shore were a bit of a hazard, but he always kept a safe distance. His ship was fast and stable, a mariner's dream. By the next evening he'd be in port, back home.

It was such a short journey the crew did not even bother to sleep, not like the passengers below-decks. The captain did not mind taking them along for the extra money, and they kept to themselves anyway. The ship had already reached the coast of Mistral by nightfall, and now they sailed along in the dark. The captain remained at the helm. This was the trickiest part of the journey and he was not about to leave it to someone else. Soon the ship would have to shoot the gap between the rocky shallows on his starboard side and a small island to port. Inexperienced mariners did not take the risk, going around the island instead, but between the island and the mainland the currents were accelerated, and shooting the gap would shave an hour or two off the trip. For a skilled captain, it was worth it.

The captain scanned the bridge to ensure that his crew was alert. He spotted something unexpected. "Who is she?" He asked. Before he got an answer, and before they could sound the alarm, the crew was wiped out.

* * *

The group was quartered in a cramped and steamy room near the ship's engines. They tried to get some sleep but between the noise and the temperature it was impossible. Suddenly the ship cut hard to the right, violently enough to send furniture sliding across the floor. "That's not good." Blake said. The others were similarly alarmed.

"We should head up to the deck, just in case." Ren suggested.

"It might be nothing, but we should check it out." Ruby said.

The group headed topside to find the decks empty. Alarmingly, the ship was heading directly for the shallows. At this rate it would surely run aground. "Head for the bridge." Pyrrha said. "Maybe the captain can tell us something."

When the group arrived at the bridge they wished they had not. They found a scene of carnage. The crew had been bloodily murdered and the ship's controls smashed. "This has to be because of us." Yang said.

"Probably, but we can't dwell on it now." Weiss said. "We need to…" Just then then the ship lurched, accompanied by the screech of rending metal and the groaning of the ship's structure. "...get to the lifeboat."

The group rushed for the only lifeboat, only to see it hit the water just as they arrived. The covered boat motored away, heading for the mainland as the ship began to list. The roof on the lifeboat made it impossible to see its pilot. "And there goes our way off." Yang sighed. "Looks like we're going to get wet."

"Everybody grab a life vest and get ready to swim!" Ruby ordered. The group had left most of their supplies back in their cabin, taking only what they considered most important, but it was too risky to go and retrieve it. At least they had their weapons with them.

Damaged beyond saving, the ship now sailed in lazy circles, listing to starboard at an ever-increasing angle. The group waited until the ship's path took it a little closer to shore, then they leapt into the icy water. Seconds later the ship dipped beneath the waves and disappeared. The group swam for shore. Though it was in sight, it was farther than it looked. It took over an hour to get there and the sun was already rising when they reached the beach, cold, wet and exhausted.

"Somebody out there really hates us." Ruby sighed.

"We already knew that." Blake said. "So much for the element of surprise."

"At least we made it to Mistral." Pyrrha said. "We should set up camp nearby. Once the authorities realize the ship is missing they'll send a search party. They can take us the rest of the way."

"We need to be very careful." Ren advised. "If someone went to the trouble of sinking a ship to kill us, they won't give up so easily. We need to be ready for an attack."

* * *

The land rose quickly up from the sea near where the group had come ashore and a forest met the beach where the water-smoothed stones ended. A little ways up the coast the land leveled off enough to allow them to set up camp. From there they could see and be seen from the ocean. In addition, they hung their life vests in the nearby trees. When the searchers arrived they would be impossible to miss. A more immediate issue was food. Most of their supplies had gone down with the ship, as they had only been carrying their weapons and a few other things. Some hunting and foraging was in order. Pyrrha led a group consisting of Blake, Weiss and Ren to try to secure some food while the others remained at their camp. Yang had wanted to go, but needed to rest if her broken arm was going to heal anytime soon. Ruby was not good at the whole wilderness survival thing, and Nora tended to scare away any animals they might try to hunt.

Pyrrha's group returned after a few hours. They had managed to bag a deer and collect some wild fruit. It would be enough for dinner, but if they were going to be stuck there they would have to go out again to secure some breakfast. In the meantime Ruby and Nora had assembled some rudimentary shelters out of trees they had cut or bashed down. They were not perfect but would protect the group from the worst the weather would throw at them. Yang had set up a fire pit and had a nice blaze going by the time the group was reunited.

Ren was an excellent cook, and though he was limited in what he had to work with, he managed to produce a solid dinner from the deer. Pyrrha's expertise with Mistral's native plant life allowed her to prepare the accompanying dish of assorted fruits. It was not Taiyang's cooking but it was probably the best meal any of them had had since they had been on the road. Despite the setback of the sinking, things were looking up. In no time they would be in Haven, ready to save the world as they had set out to.

* * *

"Did that ship come in yet?" Qrow asked. He had been hanging around the docks in Windy Shoals and made fast friends with the port's manager thanks to their common interest in libation. He handed the man his flask and he took a swig. It was already after dark and the ship was due hours earlier.

"Didn't you hear?" The manager asked. "It's gone missing. Presumed sunk."

"What?!" Qrow shouted.

"The authorities are assembling a search party." The manager continued. "We think it went down in The Narrows."

"I know people who were on that boat." Qrow said.

"I wouldn't worry too much." The manager said. "It's path would keep it close to shore so they probably got there alright. Lyme is a great captain, I hope this doesn't ruin his reputation."

"What do you know about Captain Lyme?" Qrow asked.

"Best captain on the route between Eastport and Windy Shoals." The manager replied. "I can't imagine this is his fault. It must have been a problem with the ship."

"Or sabotage." Qrow said.

"Who would sabotage an empty ship?" The manager asked. "It was just coming back here to pick up another shipment of grain for Eastport. I can't imagine there was more aboard than some small packages."

"It's not what was aboard." Qrow said. "It's who." The manager shot him a quizzical look. "Forget it. I have to go." He immediately ran off.

"Hey wait!" The manager called after him. "Don't you want your booze back?!" Qrow kept running. The manager followed, assuming Qrow had not heard him. Qrow turned a corner behind a building and the manager followed a few seconds later. When he got there, no sign of Qrow remained. The manager looked at the flask. "Did I just hallucinate all that?"

* * *

Given the recent string of alarming attacks, the group decided that two of them should guard the camp while the others slept. The midnight shift went to Pyrrha and Ruby. Ruby kept watch near the camp while Pyrrha ranged a little farther from their perimeter. With her injuries, Yang was exempt from guard duty for the time being, but she could not sleep. She would not admit it but her arm was still hurting and the discomfort made it just about impossible to get any good rest. That and she had a lot on her mind.

"I want to change." Yang said as she walked around the camp with Ruby. "I talked to Pyrrha about it. I'm too impulsive, too emotional. Then in the mountains I went ahead and charged straight at Adam again, right into a trap. I guess I really haven't made any progress."

"I don't think I've made much progress as a leader either." Ruby sighed. "I'm too impulsive too. I didn't think it through before I asked you guys to leave Patch with me. I didn't even consider how difficult and dangerous it would be. I just had my target and I was ready to blindly go for it. It's almost got us killed a few times already."

"You're not to blame for that." Yang assured her. "I don't think any of us really thought it through or had a solid plan. I'm really glad we did this though. I can't imagine we would have been happy just waiting around on Patch, and you gave us the motivation we needed to get moving. That's what makes you a great leader. Even if you don't have a solid plan, and even when the odds are stacked against you, you still have the motivation to keep moving forward, no matter what. That kind of attitude is contagious."

"I'm not sure that's a good thing." Ruby said. "Maybe if I was a little more careful you wouldn't have a broken arm and we wouldn't be shipwrecked in the middle of nowhere."

"What's done is done." Yang said. "There's no sense in dwelling on it. If you think you made a mistake, just learn from it I guess. I wish I was better at learning from my mistakes."

"Me too." Ruby said.

"I think this conversation has reached a death-spiral of depression." Yang observed. "Don't lose heart. You're great whether you believe it or not. If you start to doubt yourself, just remember that I believe in you."

* * *

Pyrrha walked through the forest quite a distance from the camp. She was still close enough to see the campfire at its center though. She wanted to be sure that the group would have ample warning of any threats. Pyrrha was still exhausted from the last few days exertions, but she was not about to let her concentration slip. The others were counting on her. She heard a rustling in the bushes a little deeper into the forest. Turning, she spotted a figure moving around. The silhouette was broken up by the trees and bushes, and it was hard to make out. It might just be an animal, but then again...she should probably check it out just to be safe.

Pyrrha pushed through the undergrowth, following the sounds of snapping twigs and rustling plants. Eventually she arrived at a clearing. She could not believe her eyes. Jaune stood in front of her looking even more confused than usual. There was a jagged scar on his neck, but there he was, alive and right in front of her. "Jaune...is that really you?" She asked.

Jaune opened his mouth to speak but no sound came. He clutched his throat for a moment before nodding. He looked just as surprised to see Pyrrha as she was to see him. He made some gestures as if to ask what Pyrrha was doing there.

"I came here to stop Cinder." Pyrrha explained. "And Qrow told me you might still be alive. I still blame myself for what happened."

Jaune made some gestures to indicate that he did not blame Pyrrha. It was his own choice.

"How did you get here?" Pyrrha asked.

Jaune shrugged and shook his head. Apparently he did not have any idea.

"I'm just glad you're alive." Pyrrha said. She approached Jaune. "The guilt was crushing me." He reached out to hug her and she did the same.

Suddenly Yang came charging out of the forest. In a flash she knocked Pyrrha back. Jaune dissolved, replaced by Emerald. Yang caught Emerald's attack on her prosthetic and strained against her. It had all been an illusion. "Pyrrha, help me!" Yang shouted. With only one functioning arm she was in no condition to fight.

Pyrrha overcame the initial shock and was about to charge into battle when she was struck from the side by a powerful blast. Two more glowing bolts fired out of the trees and she deflected them with Aegis. She recognized them, Mercury. "Yang, just hold on." Pyrrha said. She had to deal with Mercury first. He remained out of sight, firing at Pyrrha from the darkness of the forest. She used her shield to block his shots without much difficulty, but she could not track him down. Meanwhile Yang was battling Emerald in close quarters, giving all she had just to block Emerald's attacks. Pyrrha needed to deal with Mercury fast.

* * *

The nearby gunshots woke up the camp. They had slept with their weapons at their sides and in seconds they were up and ready to join the fight. Weiss, Blake, Ren and Nora rushed toward the sounds of combat with Ruby trailing. She took one last look around and spotted a figure in the forest to the right. It had to be another attacker. She could not allow the group to be sneak-attacked from the rear. "There's someone over here!" Ruby shouted as she rushed off to confront the unknown individual, hoping the others would hear her. With their focus elsewhere, they did not.

In the darkness Ruby had great difficulty identifying the figure. There was something familiar about the silhouette, but it was not quite right. As she closed in a small flame lit in front of the figure's face and all became clear. Having just lit up the sort of cigar Roman would have smoked, it was Neo. She wore his hat and was carrying his cane. Ruby slid to a stop in front of her. Neo's expression, usually so calm even in the midst of battle, contorted into a look of unbridled rage at the very sight of Ruby. Neo accusingly pointed Roman's cane at Ruby.

"I didn't kill him." Ruby said. "It was the Grimm." Neo seemed unmoved. "We don't have to be enemies."

Neo's look of rage faded but her stance oozed aggression. Ruby may not have killed Roman directly, but if not for her he would have been safe inside the ship. Ruby was to blame and was going to pay. Neo would have her revenge. A smirk spread across her face. She flipped Roman's cane around and fired, blasting the ground where Ruby had been standing as she leapt out of the way. Neo rushed forward, firing at Ruby with the cane while blocking Ruby's strikes with her parasol. Every time Ruby tried to get some distance Neo immediately close up, unrelenting in her assault. Ruby unleashed a spinning slash but Neo easily avoided it by leaping back. She coolly raised the cane and blasted Ruby straight in the chest. Ruby was knocked off her feet and lost her grip on Crescent Rose before slamming down on her back. Neo stomped over and began bashing Ruby in the face with the cane. Ruby tried to block but Neo kept swinging. Ruby's aura shimmered and failed. With one final strike to the side of the head, Ruby's world went dark.

* * *

Pyrrha spotted a muzzle flash. It had to be Mercury. She fired a series of shots from Ruber Mors at the spot and heard Mercury grunt in pain. That would take care of him for a few seconds. Pyrrha turned to Yang and Emerald. They were locked together, one of Emerald's scythed daggers hooked on Yang's prosthetic while Yang somehow held onto Emerald's other wrist with her broken arm. Pyrrha activated her semblance, targeting Emerald's weapons. With a swipe of her hand she used all her power to pull them away. There was a scream. But it was all wrong.

It was Yang's scream. The illusion broke and there stood Yang, her prosthetic torn off leaving bits of metal and wire hanging from the bloody and mangled stump. Emerald stood a few steps away with a satisfied grin on her face. Pyrrha had fallen for it again, and now Yang was in agony. Pyrrha screamed with rage and threw her javelin at Emerald. Emerald easily dodged it and backed toward the forest. Weiss, Blake, Ren and Nora arrived and Emerald fled. They could hear Mercury running away through the forest as well.

"Yang I'm so sorry!" Pyrrha cried. She rushed to Yang's side. Yang was staring at the carnage that was what remained of her right arm. "I'm sorry...I just...I…"

"It's not your fault." Yang said with a calm she should not have possessed given the circumstances. "I'm just glad I got here in time to save you."

"What happened?" Weiss asked.

"Emerald and Mercury were here." Pyrrha said. "Emerald...tricked me...again. She used an image of Jaune…"

"And then she tricked Pyrrha into ripping my prosthetic off." Yang said matter-of-factly. She looked around. "Where's Ruby?"

"She was right behind us." Nora said. But Ruby was nowhere to be seen.

The sound of .50 cal shots and explosions echoed through the forest. "Ruby!" Yang shouted. She immediately charged off in the direction of the noise, not caring about what she would do when she got there.

"Yang, wait!" Ren called after her. Now there was no way Yang could fight. The group chased after her.

Yang burst out of the trees and into a clearing. At its center Ruby lay on her back motionless. Neo stood over her, ready to dispatch the helpless Ruby with her blade. Neo looked up and spotted Yang who was clearly in no condition to do anything. She smirked, looking Yang in the eyes as she aimed her blade for Ruby's heart.


	11. One of These Days

Chapter 11

Yang screamed in rage and a pulse of energy blasted out from her. The shockwave knocked Neo back as Yang became engulfed in dazzling flames. Flames clung to Yang, burning more intensely than ever before. The cast on her left arm burned away and the remnants of her prosthetic turned molten and dripped out of the mangled stump of her right. Her left arm glowed brightly and fire formed into the shape of her missing right arm. Another pulse of energy sent flames shooting out in all directions before they was sucked back in. Yang roared as a new right arm grew in the flames.

Neo, so recently smirking with overconfidence, was terrified. She began to slowly back away. Yang stomped forward, her eyes locked on Neo. The grass beneath her was incinerated and the dirt below turned to glass. Yang took a deep breath and charged, trailing flames as she closed the distance in an instant. Her left arm was healed and she used it to punch Neo straight in the face. Neo staggered back, taken completely off guard. Yang roared again and charged once more as Neo continued to back away. This time she punched with her new right arm as Neo lifted her parasol to block. It absorbed the strike but was set alight and began to burn away. Neo stood there as if frozen. Yang reached back and unleashed a punch with all her power. As it struck Neo she shattered like glass, just an illusion.

Yang stood there hyperventilating, her eyes glowing bright red and the air around her swirling with flames. "Yang…" Ruby said weakly.

In an instant the flames died away and Yang's eyes returned to their usual violet. She rushed to Ruby's side. "Are you okay?" She asked with obvious concern.

"I'll be alright." Ruby said. "You have two arms. What happened?"

"I have no idea." Yang said. "I'm just glad I got here in time to save you."

The others had arrived in time to see Yang's brief fight with Neo. Now they stood at the edge of the trees, looking on in shock. "How did you do that?" Pyrrha asked.

Yang shrugged. "I was worried about my sister." She said. "It feels good to be rearmed."

"Your puns aren't getting any better." Blake groaned.

"Someone help me get Ruby back to camp." Yang said. She helped Ruby to her feet and supported her. Ren rushed over to take Ruby's other arm, and the pair helped Ruby limp away. Weiss went to work using her glyphs to douse the brush fires Yang had inadvertently set before they became serious.

Everyone met at the campsite. "We should check the woods to make sure Emerald, Mercury and Neo are really gone." Pyrrha suggested.

"Ren and Nora, stay here with Ruby." Yang ordered. "I'm going to help with the search."

"Maybe you should stay with your sister." Pyrrha said. "After what just happened, you should get some rest."

"Pyrrha, I've never felt more energetic." Yang declared. "I've never been more ready for a fight. It's as if I tapped into a whole new reserve of power."

"Are you sure you're alright?" Pyrrha asked. "I still feel bad about...your arm."

"Don't worry about it." Yang said. "I've got a brand new arm, a better arm. And I am sure. Now let's get going."

"It's a shame about Phoenix Wing though." Nora sighed. "It was a really cool name!"

* * *

The group searched the forest for some time but found no sign of their attackers. It seemed they truly had fled. Still they kept looking, double-checking areas already searched just to be sure. "Uh...I...guys?" Pyrrha said as she was picking her way through the underbrush.

"What's wrong?" Yang asked, rushing to Pyrrha's side, soon to be joined by Blake and Weiss.

"Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Pyrrha asked.

"I can't believe it, but yes." Yang confirmed. Blake and Weiss nodded in agreement.

There at their feet, shrouded by bushes and fallen leaves, lie Jaune. He was tied up and his mouth was taped over. "This isn't another trick, right?" Pyrrha asked.

"We're all seeing it." Weiss said. "I don't think that's within Emerald's abilities."

Pyrrha bent down closer to Jaune and he looked up at her. He had the same jagged scar on his throat that the illusion had born. Pyrrha reached down and pulled the tape off of his mouth. "I'm so glad to see you." He said, his voice a barely audible whisper.

"Is it really you?" Pyrrha asked.

"Who else would it be?" Jaune replied. Pyrrha and Yang looked at each other. If only he knew. "What's going on? Where are we?"

"We're here to stop Cinder and her group." Yang said. She could not help but feel suspicious. "How did you get here? You were dead."

"I'm not really sure." Jaune answered. "I remember getting shot, then everything went black. When I woke up I was in some warehouse, tied up. Then Emerald and Mercury dragged me out here. I heard shooting and screaming, but I couldn't get free. I'm sorry I can't be more helpful."

Pyrrha drew her blade to cut the binds. "Are you sure that's wise?" Yang asked. "This could be another trap."

"We know it's not an illusion." Pyrrha countered. "How could it be a trap?"

"Why would they just leave him here?" Yang asked.

"Maybe they needed him to create the illusion." Pyrrha theorized. "With that done there's no reason to take him along. Besides, they couldn't have fled from us as quickly if they carried him along."

"Then why not kill him?" Yang said. "They're not the sort of people who show mercy. I know you desperately want him to be alive, but I don't like this at all."

"Is this even about Jaune?" Pyrrha accused. "Or are you jealous that I'm showing him attention? Are you afraid I'll dump you for him or something?"

"No, that's not it at all." Yang said. "Listen to yourself. You're not thinking clearly. You're letting your emotions get in the way of your judgement. I know you blame yourself for what happened to him, and that him being here and okay would help you get over everything, but this just doesn't feel right."

"I'm with Yang." Blake said. "Something's off."

"Well we can't just leave him here." Pyrrha said.

"I mean, we could…" Weiss said. The others shot her angry looks. Even given the situation, that sort of callousness was not acceptable.

"I'm untying him and that's that." Pyrrha said. She sliced through the binds. Jaune rubbed his wrists. They were bloody and swollen. "If you think it's a trap you can just keep a close eye on him. As for me, I'm willing to give my friend the benefit of the doubt. Besides, what kind of threat could he possibly be. He's by far the weakest fighter of any of us."

Yang and Blake looked at each other. It was hard to argue with Pyrrha, both because she made good points and because of her insistence. She would not be swayed no matter what they said. "Fine." Yang relented. "But if you do anything suspicious, I'll strike you down myself."

"Nice to see you too." Jaune said with an uneasy laugh.

* * *

The group brought Jaune back to camp where they were greeted by the same stunned looks they had had so recently. "It's really him." Pyrrha said before the others could ask.

"Jaune!" Ruby cheered. She flew at him with all the speed of her semblance and hugged him. "You're alive! I'm so glad. I thought you died because of me."

"Pyrrha said the same thing." Jaune said, his voice still barely audible. "Why do you guys blame yourselves? None of it was your fault."

"I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Jaune." Weiss said. "Now maybe the two of you can stop beating yourselves up."

"Nora, Ren, it's good to see you." Jaune said as Ruby released him.

The pair looked on with obvious unease. "How can it be him?" Ren asked.

"You were dead." Nora said. She and Ren kept their distance.

"Apparently he was just captured." Pyrrha explained.

"Why did they let him go?" Ren probed.

"I guess they didn't need him anymore." Pyrrha suggested. "Why are you questioning it? Our friend is back!"

Nora and Ren exchanged glances. "I'm sorry Jaune, but something feels wrong." Nora said. "This has to be some kind of trick."

Ren would usually soften that kind of blow, but this time he wholly agreed with Nora's assessment. "I'll be watching you." He said.

"Why don't you trust me?" Jaune asked. The answer was obvious but he was still as slow on the uptake as ever.

"It's not that we don't trust you." Nora said. "With everything that's happened this just seems...too convenient."

"I have to agree." Blake said. Ren, Weiss and Yang made their positions clear just by the looks on their faces.

"I guess I understand." Jaune sighed. He sounded more than a little disappointed. "I guess I would be suspicious if someone I knew came back from the dead too. Hopefully I can show you that I'm the same old Jaune."

"Maybe try being a little better than the old Jaune." Weiss said. "I didn't like him very much." Again angry looks. She did not care. The truth was the truth.

Pyrrha dug around in the pile of gear the group had made it ashore with. She found the backpack she had been wearing throughout the journey. She unzipped it and withdrew the contents, Jaune's weapon. "I saved it for you." She said as she handed it to him. "I never gave up on the idea that you were still out there somewhere."

"I don't think it's wise to arm him." Yang warned. "We still don't know if we can really trust him."

"Come on sis." Ruby said. Only she and Pyrrha seemed to take Jaune at face value. It probably had something to do with their feelings guilt over his death. "It's Jaune. He couldn't hurt us if he tried."

"I appreciate the trust but I could do without the brutal honesty." Jaune groaned. He took the sword and shield in his hands and looked at them. "Thank you. It means a lot that you held onto them."

Yang glared at Jaune and Pyrrha. She could not trust him, no way. It was all just a little too perfect. There had to be something else going on. She did have to admit that she was a bit jealous. Before winning Pyrrha over she had had very obvious romantic feelings for Jaune. It was not that Yang worried that Pyrrha would leave her for him, Yang was pretty sure that would never happen, but seeing them being so close against Yang's suggestion was infuriating. She had once warned Pyrrha that Jaune would only hurt her, and now it seemed those warnings were being forgotten.

Pyrrha noticed Yang's anger. "Don't get the wrong idea Jaune." Pyrrha said, as much to placate Yang as anything. "I'm still not romantically interested in you. I'm just happy to have my friend back."

"I totally understand." Jaune assured her. He noticed Yang's anger too and even if he was interested in Pyrrha, he was not about to invoke Yang's wrath. "I think that ship sailed a long time ago. I'm just glad to be back."

"I know!" Ruby suddenly shouted. "We should have a feast to celebrate! If Ren can cook up anything like last night's dinner, it'll be perfect!"

"It does look as though we'll be here for a while longer." Blake conceded. "Perhaps it would be wise to prepare a meal."

"Fine, but I'm staying here with Jaune." Yang said. "I want to keep my eye on him."

"We'll use the same hunting party as last night." Weiss said. "Hopefully the fighting didn't scare off the wildlife."

* * *

Qrow found it rather difficult to locate the group. They were quite a bit farther south than predicted, still quite a ways short of The Narrows. The searchers would take more time as well. He had managed to track the group down just in time to see Yang's fiery display. He was thoroughly impressed. Not only were they fighting more effectively, they were unlocking new powers. For the first time they had taken on their primary opponents and come out victorious. Still, it seemed rather too easy.

The foes they were dealing with were not the sort to just give up and go home after being checked, but that was precisely what had happened. He followed Emerald and Mercury some distance as they left the scene, expecting them to circle around to attack again at some point, but they just kept going. Neo did not stick around either, though it seemed her cause was personal rather than still being attached to Cinder's faction. It all made Qrow uneasy. Then the group had stumbled upon Jaune. It was a little too perfect. At least Yang and most of the others seemed alert to the potential danger, even if Pyrrha and Ruby were unwilling to see it.

Qrow could not quite figure out what exactly was going on. That in itself greatly troubled him. Jaune was certainly not going to stand up to any member of the group in a fight. He would not be particularly useful as a spy either. Cinder's allies had been shadowing the group almost from the beginning. Qrow would just have to keep a close eye on things and be ready to respond if something happened. Like the group he hoped there was nothing untoward about Jaune's sudden reappearance, but could just not quite bring himself to take it at face value.

Qrow decided to start moving his pieces into position. He called Ironwood on his scroll. "I'm sending you coordinates." He said. "I need you to wait nearby."

"Why?" Ironwood asked. "Is there trouble?"

"I'm not sure yet." Qrow replied. "Something's up but I don't know what. Just be ready."

"Very well." Ironwood said. He paused for a moment. "I should probably inform you that Winter Schnee has joined our cause."

"Is that right?" Qrow laughed. "Tell the Ice Queen I said hi. Did she manage to drag Taiyang along too?"

"No, he remains opposed to our operation and unaware of our location." Ironwood replied.

"That's a shame." Qrow sighed. "I wish he'd see the light but I can understand where he's coming from."

"I feel bad for the man, he just wants his children to be safe." Ironwood said.

"He'd do a better job of protecting them if he just joined us." Qrow said. "I've already explained it to him be he refuses to listen to reason."

"Can what we're doing really be described as reasonable?" Ironwood challenged.

"No, I guess it can't." Qrow admitted. "At least not from the perspective of those outside our circle."

"If it works we'll save the world, but if it doesn't we're going to look like the villains." Ironwood said.

"Doing the right thing isn't always the same as doing the good thing." Qrow sighed. "It's unfortunate, but Ozpin understood. It's just something we're going to have to live with." He hung up abruptly. Qrow was done with the conversation. He took a long drink from his flask. He had left one back in Windy Shoals but he always carried extras. Doing the right thing was not always easy. Sometimes he wondered if he even was one of the good guys. No matter, the booze would put a brake on those thoughts.

* * *

The hunt was going well. In no time at all they had got themselves a deer and a hefty one at that. They probably could have called it a day but decided to see what else they might bring in. It was not all sunshine and rainbows though. Except for the communication necessary to successfully hunt, they said nothing to each other. Ren, Weiss and Blake wanted to convince Pyrrha that something was wrong with the Jaune situation, and she was not inclined to listen. Any mention of the topic would surely lead to an argument that no one really wanted to have. Still, it had to be said.

Weiss finally decided that enough was enough. "Deep down you've got to know something's wrong with this situation." She said.

"If it's about Jaune I don't want to hear it." Pyrrha shot back.

"Pyrrha please." Blake said. "We're saying this for your own good. Something is very wrong. For him to just show up like he did when he did, it's too suspicious to ignore."

"They're right." Ren added. "Please, we only have your best interests at heart. As a teammate and a friend, I would want nothing more than to have him back, just like old times, but this doesn't feel right. We need to be smart about this or it'll put us all in danger."

"So what are we supposed to do, leave him in the wilderness?" Pyrrha asked. "Do you want to kill him?" It was a good point. There was not much the group could do with Jaune.

"We need to be very careful." Weiss said. "I'll admit that we can't just abandon him out here, but I don't think it's smart for him to stay with us either. We should leave him behind when we get back to civilization."

"He won't be much help to us anyway." Blake pointed out. "Not only is he a weak fighter, he's not fully healthy. We should send him home as soon as we get the chance."

"That's a good idea." Ren agreed. "If he recovers, and there's nothing untoward going on, he can meet us at Haven. I'm sure his family will want to see him too."

Pyrrha wanted to argue in favor of her friend, but she could not really disagree. Sending Jaune home at the first opportunity would probably be the best thing for everyone, even if there was nothing to the group's suspicions. "Fine." Pyrrha relented with a sigh. "We'll put him on an airship home when we get the chance. He can decide what to do after that. I'm sure he'll understand." The others were relieved that Pyrrha was finally listening to reason. Jaune was an unnecessary distraction in an already complex and difficult situation. It was a distraction they could ill afford.


	12. High Hopes

Chapter 12

It was a few hours past dawn and the hunting party had yet to return to camp. The remaining four sat around the campfire. The wooden structures erected the day before by Ruby and Nora conveniently deflected the wind from the center of the camp. Winters in this part of Mistral were far milder than in most parts of Vale, but it was still chilly and the breeze blowing off the sea was downright frigid that day. The sooner they were found and returned to civilization the better, but until then they would have to make due.

Ruby told Jaune stories of what had happened following the disaster at Beacon, from her awakening on Patch through their shipwreck on Mistral's coast. Jaune seemed interested but disappointed to not have been a part of the adventure. Nora listened intently. Though she had been present for much of what Ruby described, some of the events occurred before her arrival on Patch and she liked a good story besides. Still, she kept Magnhild close, just in case. It was becoming clear to Yang if no one else that though Nora played the part of the ditzy maniac, and played that part well, she was actually very sharp.

Yang leaned against one of the structures with her arms crossed in front of her. She stared at Jaune, watching his every movement. She studied his facial expressions and his reactions to Ruby's tale. She was looking for anything that said he was up to something. To her dismay he seemed like the same old Jaune. It would have been much easier if he was overtly working for the enemy or being obviously deceptive. Then Yang could just give him a beating and be done with it. As it was, all she could do was watch, remaining on guard just in case.

Ruby finished her story and excused herself to go and take a nap. She had been injured in her fight with Neo the night before and had not gotten any rest since. She wanted to stay awake to further catch up with Jaune and to wait for the others to return, but she needed her rest. With no story to listen to Nora wandered off to collect more firewood. Her method was rather brutal, as she took to reducing nearby trees to splinters. Jaune remained by the fire and Yang stood where she had since the hunting party had left.

"Yang, can we talk?" Jaune finally said as the awkward staring contest grew unbearable.

"Go ahead." Yang said, not moving an inch.

"I know you don't trust me, and honestly, I can't blame you." Jaune said. "I know it must be hard to believe me when I say I just woke up a few days ago and was dragged out here with no memory of what happened before that. The fact that Emerald used an illusion of me to ambush Pyrrha can't help either."

"Get to the point." Yang ordered.

"There's got to be something I can do to get you guys to believe me." Jaune continued. "Pyrrha and Ruby seem like the only ones who are willing to take my side. I just want us all to be friends again."

"The best way for you to prove you're on our side is to leave." Yang said. "You're not healthy or skilled enough to help us fight. You're a drain on our supplies and a dangerous diversion of our attention. And that's if you're not actively working against us. I know leaving isn't exactly a realistic option now, but if you want us to trust you, you'll depart at the first opportunity."

"Where can I go?" Jaune asked.

"I don't care." Yang replied. "Go home. I bet your family misses you. Or maybe they don't. I don't know if you get along with them. The bottom line is that the worst place you can be is here. I once told Pyrrha that you would only end up getting yourself killed, or get someone else killed trying to protect you. My assessment hasn't changed. Now I have to worry about you actually being our enemy. The path we walk is too dangerous to add a hazard like you."

"That's brutal but...I guess you're right." Jaune sighed. "I feel like I can help but if that's the way you all feel, I guess I should go."

"Maybe some of the others feel differently." Yang shrugged. "But I'm never going to see you as anything other than a danger. I don't want to see my friends get hurt."

"It will hurt Pyrrha and Ruby if I go." Jaune pointed out.

"They'll be sad for a while, but they'll understand." Yang said. "I'll take a temporary injury over something permanant any day."

"I guess I'll talk it over with everyone." Jaune said. He looked down at his feet and shook his head. "I thought being dead would suck, but coming back is even worse. What do I have if my friends don't even trust me?"

"That's something only you can answer." Yang said. "I really want to believe you. I want to believe that there's nothing to my suspicions. I want to believe that you can be an asset to us. That would make life so much easier for everyone. But I can't let my emotions rule me, not anymore."

"They're back!" Nora announced as the hunting party came walking out of the forest. They carried two deer carcasses and a bag of wild fruit. It looked as though the day's hunt had been even more successful than the previous one.

"We can talk about this more later, if you need to." Yang said to Jaune. "I've said what I have to say."

* * *

Ren and Pyrrha again prepared the meal. With a day of practice it came out even better. It was still not on the level of Taiyang's cooking but the result was appetizing in both appearance and taste. Still there was unease. Pyrrha looked absolutely miserable as she slowly ate her portion. Jaune could not help but notice the frequent glances fired in his direction. The intervening hours had done nothing to dampen the group's suspicion of him. He felt unwanted and guilty for having set them arguing against each other.

"We've decided to send you home." Pyrrha finally said to Jaune. She did not sound happy about it and Ruby seemed surprised by the statement. "You're not in any condition to fight right now, so when we get to civilization we're putting you on an airship back home. If you want, when you recover, you can rejoin us at Haven."

"That's probably for the best." Jaune conceded with a sigh. "If anything I'll just hold you guys back right now."

"I'm glad you're taking this well." Pyrrha said.

"I kind of had a feeling this was coming." Jaune admitted. "I can see from the way you all look at me that you don't want me here."

"It's not like that." Nora said. The statement bordered on being an outright lie. "We just want you to get healthy so you can come back better than ever!" That was an outright lie.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Ruby asked. She had not been consulted and was not a fan of the idea. She knew how much the group's suspicion hurt Jaune's feelings and how much more damage sending him away would cause.

"It's fine, really." Jaune insisted. "I understand the reasoning. Once I'm all healed up I'll meet back up with you guys. That is if you don't stop Cinder without me first. I guess I'll have to heal up quick if I want to get in on the action." He laughed but it was half-hearted. He knew they would succeed or fail and he would have little impact on that, whether or not he was present. He felt useless.

"Come on, let's try to be happy now." Nora said. "Jaune's alive! Even if things aren't perfect that's something to celebrate!" The others professed to agree and put on happy faces, but there was little genuine enthusiasm. Even Nora was not really in the mood.

* * *

After the meal the group split up to do their own things while they waited for rescue. Nora was in the mood to hit something with her hammer - as much to distract her from the conflict as anything else - so supervised by Ren, she set about obliterating some trees that neighbored the camp. Weiss and Blake split off and started awkwardly flirting with each other. They still had no idea what they were doing or how normal people acted, and Yang got the occasional laugh as she listened to their nearby conversation. Even though she was being entertained by Weiss and Blake's blundering, Yang kept a close eye on Jaune, standing where she had before the meal and watching Jaune who remained seated beside the campfire. Pyrrha and Ruby set up a practice range for Pyrrha's weapons. Now that Pyrrha had been using the new weapons for some time, Ruby wanted feedback so she could further improve the designs. Yang would normally be inclined to join them, but even if she was not keeping an eye on Jaune the highly technical nature of their discussion would have kept Yang away.

A sudden blast of energy emanated from the center of the camp, snuffing out the fire and flattening the crude structures assembled by Ruby and Nora. As the group braced against the overpressure, their auras shimmered and failed. Already in a weakened state, Ruby fell unconscious. Yang felt a terrible pain in her head, as if it were being crushed in a vice. She hunched over and clutched her temples as her vision blurred. Then as quickly as it had come, it was gone. Yang stumbled forward, dizzy and aching. She looked around. Ren was on his knees with Nora bent over him. Weiss and Blake were leaning against each other, effectively propping each other up. Pyrrha knelt at Ruby's side, attending to the unconscious girl.

Amidst the groans and confusion, Jaune stood. His expression was blank and his motions were awkward. It reminded Yang a bit of how it was when she first had her prosthetic arm. Jaune turned around and began walking with a strange, rigid, jerking gait. Something was up. Yang took a step after him but almost fell over, still not recovered from the blast. Jaune was headed for Pyrrha. She was focused on Ruby and had her back turned. Jaune drew his sword and shield. This was the trick Yang had been waiting for. Jaune was being puppeteered, sent to take out the group's strongest member.

"Pyrrha!" Yang shouted. Pyrrha turned her head to see Jaune lumbering toward her. In a flash of yellow Yang was upon him. But this was not the same old Jaune. He whipped around and effortlessly deflected Yang's fist as she aimed to punch at his head. Then, as part of the same motion, he plunged his blade into Yang's abdomen. Yang's eyes bulged as the blade punched clean through her and emerged from her back. With a twist to the blade Jaune drew out his sword. Yang stumbled and her hair briefly burst into flames before almost immediately going out as she crumpled to the ground.

Pyrrha leapt to her feet and screamed in rage. Extending her hands she used her semblance to grab hold of Jaune's sword and shield. She ripped them away, partially embedding them in the dirt as he relinquished them rather than being pulled to the ground with them. She drew her weapon, converted it to its javelin form, and launched it at Jaune with all her might. The weapon sailed straight through the spot where he had been standing as he burst into a cloud of glowing ash that scattered away.

Pyrrha rushed to Yang's side, the others soon gathering around as well.. Yang was still alive but bleeding profusely from the gaping and jagged wound. Pyrrha pressed her hands against the ends of the wound, but the blood just seeped through her fingers. "Stay with me Yang!" Pyrrha pleaded.

"I don't think I'll make it." Yang said, her voice a whisper.

"Don't say that." Pyrrha said as tears began to flow down her face. "You'll be alright. You grew a whole new arm. You can regrow this."

"I think that was a one-time deal." Yang said. "I knew he was dangerous...but I never expected this. I'm just glad I got to him in time. I can die happy knowing you're alright."

"Yang, you're not going to die." Pyrrha wept.

"I'm pretty sure I am." Yang said. "I'm sorry." She coughed, spitting up blood that spattered Pyrrha's face. "Tell Ruby...I'm sorry I broke my promise." Yang convulsed, coughing up more blood.

"Yang, please." Pyrrha sobbed.

"Let me see you smile...one more time." Yang said weakly. "Please." Pyrrha forced a smile and Yang smiled back at her. "Thanks. I love you."

"I love you too." Pyrrha cried. "More than you could know."

"Trust me, I know." Yang said. "Protect Ruby for me." Yang closed her eyes for what she knew would be the last time.

* * *

Yang opened her eyes and they were flooded with blinding white light. She was not a big believer in an afterlife, but she could only be in heaven. Her last memory was of her friends, gathered around her, crying. In that moment she had felt so incredibly loved, but indescribably sad to be leaving them. She supposed it could have been worse. At least they would outlive her. Hopefully they would not be too sad, but they would surely be happy again one day. There was no better death than dying to protect them.

As her eyes began to adjust, Yang started to become skeptical about whether she was actually in heaven. If she was, the dress-code was drastically different than she had imagined. The simpler explanation was that she was alive and in a hospital. But could she really be alive? They had been hours from civilization and she was minutes from bleeding out when she had lost consciousness. She tried to look around. Her whole body felt heavy but eventually she was able to force her head to turn to the side. There was Ruby, sitting beside her asleep. She looked as though she had been crying.

Yang struggled to speak but her body was uncooperative. She did not know if that was because of her injuries or from whatever medication they had been pumping into her. Finally she managed the slightest whisper. "Ruby." She said. Ruby remained asleep. Yang was starting to get her bearings and her body was finally starting to respond. "Sis." She said a little louder.

Ruby's eyes blinked open. She yawned and looked at Yang. For a moment she stared at Yang before almost jumping out of her chair in shock. "You're awake!" Ruby exclaimed. Already tears of joy welled in her eyes.

"Yep." Yang said, still rather quietly.

"Guys!" Ruby called. "Yang's awake!"

Yang caught a flash of red out of the corner of her eye as Pyrrha rushed to the other side of her bed. "Yang, are you really…" Pyrrha started.

"Hey." Yang managed. She could not quite turn her head to face Pyrrha. It felt so heavy.

"Do you want to sit up a little?" Ruby asked, noticing Yang's discomfort.

"That would be nice." Yang confirmed. Ruby and Pyrrha lifted Yang a little by the shoulders while the latter adjusted the bed and the former rearranged the pillows to make the position more comfortable. Now more upright, Yang could see that the others were gathered around as well.

"I'm so glad you're okay." Pyrrha said, choking back tears. "I thought I'd lost you."

"It'll take a lot more than a sword to the gut to keep me down." Yang said with a weak laugh. "I'm glad to see you too. What happened? Where am I? How am I...not dead?"

"Right after you blacked out, General Ironwood showed up with a detachment of Atlesian soldiers." Pyrrha replied.

"Ironwood?" Yang said. "What was he doing here?"

"Apparently he and Winter were looking for me." Weiss answered. "I guess we're lucky they showed up when they did. Their medic started treating you in the field and then they rushed you here. You're in a hospital in Mistral now."

"I guess that means you're going back to Atlas." Yang said.

"Nope." Weiss said with a big smile. "Winter and I convinced Ironwood not to tell my father."

"That's not even the best news." Ruby said, bursting with excitement. "Penny's back!" Ruby looked away, just beyond Yang's field of view. "Come on over and say hi!"

Penny walked over looking a little nervous. "Salutations." She said with a salute. "I am happy you have regained consciousness. We were all very worried about you."

"How long was I out?" Yang asked.

"Three days." Pyrrha replied. "The doctors weren't sure if you'd ever wake up. You lost a lot of blood."

"That must have been really tough for all of you." Yang sighed. "I'm sorry I had you worried."

"You have nothing to apologize for." Pyrrha said. "We're just so glad to have you back!"

* * *

After a few weeks of recovery and rehabilitation, Yang was released from the hospital. The rest of the group, who had been staying in a hotel nearby, met up to celebrate. They decided to go to lunch, but before even arriving at the restaurant, conversation turned to the future. "So...what now?" Yang asked. "We made it to Mistral. Is there a plan?"

"I never really thought that far ahead." Ruby admitted.

"Why am I not surprised?" Weiss groaned.

"I guess our first step is going to Haven." Ruby said. "Then we can meet up with Sun and his team. Then...well..."

"That's easy." Nora said. "We find Cinder and her people, break Jaune out of her control, and defeat them! Boom! World saved!"

"That's a gross oversimplification, but that's the general idea." Blake said.

"Do you guys have any idea just how to do that?" Yang asked.

"Well, we weren't just sitting around doing nothing while you were recovering." Ruby said. "We found some leads that might help us find our enemies."

"Unfortunately Adam and the White Fang are here too." Blake said. "But their sloppiness allowed us to narrow down our search."

"So straight back into the fight then?" Yang said. "Perfect. There's a lot of revenge I need to get."

"Not so fast." Pyrrha said. "You're not in any condition to fight yet. We're going to take some time first. We'll train and make sure we're all ready before we make our move. We can't afford to be reckless."

"Of course." Yang agreed. "We're only going to get one shot at this, so we need to really think it through."

"That's not the reaction I was expecting from you." Weiss said.

"Yang 2.0 doesn't charge stupidly into danger." Yang said. "Well, I'll try not to."

"I'll be here to help you out." Pyrrha promised. "We all will."

"You guys are the best." Yang said. "So, what do you say we get this day started off with a Yang?!" Yang laughed as the others let out a collective groan.

"Looks like Yang 2.0 isn't that different from the old Yang." Ruby said.

Pyrrha smiled and giggled. "I wouldn't have her any other way."

* * *

END

* * *

 **Author's Note:** But not the only end! I'll be posting a series of 3 alternate endings (depressing ones) I wrote, along with some additional notes about the series. I want to thank you all for reading and I hope you've enjoyed the ride. I will not be continuing this story, but I hope you'll stick around for the other stories I'm writing.


	13. Bonus - Alternate Endings and Notes

**Author's Note:** These are alternate endings. They all start after Yang loses consciousness in Chapter 12, and all are sadder than the "true" ending. They're also probably not as good. Still, I thought them up so I thought I'd share. My proofreader described them as emotionally "rough." Enjoy the suffering.

* * *

Alternate Endings

 _Welcome to the Machine_

Yang opened her eyes and they were flooded with blinding white light. She was not a big believer in an afterlife, but she could only be in heaven. Her last memory was of her friends, gathered around her, crying. In that moment she had felt so incredibly loved, but indescribably sad to be leaving them. She supposed it could have been worse. At least they would outlive her. Hopefully they would not be too sad, but they would surely be happy again one day. There was no better death than dying to protect them.

As her eyes began to adjust, Yang started to become skeptical about whether she was actually in heaven. If she was, the dress-code was drastically different than she had imagined. The simpler explanation was that she was alive and in a hospital. But could she really be alive? They had been hours from civilization and she was minutes from bleeding out when she had lost consciousness. She tried to look around. Her whole body felt heavy and strange but eventually she was able to force her head to turn to the side. There was Ruby, sitting beside her asleep. She looked as though she had been crying.

Yang struggled to speak but her body was uncooperative. She did not know if that was because of her injuries or from whatever medication they had been pumping into her. Finally she managed the slightest whisper. "Ruby." She said. She thought her voice sounded strange. Ruby remained asleep. Yang was starting to get her bearings and her body was finally starting to respond. "Sis." She said a little louder.

Ruby's eyes blinked open. She yawned and looked at Yang. For a moment she stared at Yang before almost jumping out of her chair in shock. "Yang?" Ruby said. "You're awake." She looked relieved but conflicted, almost afraid.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Yang asked. She would have expected Ruby to be ecstatic.

"It's just...I…" Ruby started crying and ran off.

"Ruby, wait I…" Yang called after her. Yang still thought her voice sounded wrong. "Why did she do that?"

"It's been very hard for her." Pyrrha said. Yang forced her head to the other side to see Pyrrha standing beside her. "It's been hard for all of us. I'm glad you're recovering though."

"Why has it been hard?" Yang asked. "Did something else happen? How long was I out."

Pyrrha looked troubled, as if she did not know what to say. The others had by now gathered around and they looked similarly concerned. "After you blacked out, General Ironwood arrived with a detachment of Atlesian soldiers." Pyrrha explained. "His medic started treating you, and you were rushed to the nearest hospital, but your injuries were very severe." Pyrrha wiped away the tears that had begun dripping down her face, but they were almost immediately replaced by fresh drops. "Your body was failing. Ironwood had a way to save you, but...there was a price."

"What are you talking about?" Yang asked.

"Penny was with Ironwood." Pyrrha continued. "She knew how much your death would hurt us, Ruby in particular. She wouldn't take no for an answer."

"What happened!?" Yang demanded.

"It's...easier to show you." Pyrrha sighed.

Weiss handed her a mirror and Pyrrha held it up in front of Yang's face. Penny's green eyes stared back. When Yang blinked, they blinked. It all became painfully clear. "No...no, I don't want this." Yang protested. Now she could clearly hear that she was speaking in Penny's voice. "Tell me they saved her too."

"The process is irreversible." Pyrrha said. "You were dying and there was no time to transfer Penny into another vessel. If anything remains of her, it's still in that body."

"I didn't want anyone to die for me!" Yang shouted. "I can't live with this!"

"I know it's hard, but you'll get through this." Pyrrha said. "You have to, for Ruby's sake."

"How can I even speak to Ruby?!" Yang cried. "It'll just cause her more pain! No, this is all wrong! This can't be happening!" But it was. Yang sobbed but her mechanical body was incapable of producing tears.

Ruby returned after a few minutes. She was still desperately struggling to hold back her own tears. "Yang, I'm glad you're alright." Ruby said. She leaned down and hugged Yang. For Yang it felt unnatural, all wrong.

"I'm so sorry." Yang said.

"Don't be." Ruby said. "It wasn't your choice. All Penny ever wanted to do was save the world. She couldn't, but she saved you. To the last she was happy. She wouldn't want us to be sad. Please be happy."

"I'll try." Yang said. "For you, and for her."

* * *

 _Brain Damage / Eclipse_

Yang opened her eyes and they were flooded with blinding white light. She was not a big believer in an afterlife, but she could only be in heaven. Her last memory was of her friends, gathered around her, crying. In that moment she had felt so incredibly loved, but indescribably sad to be leaving them. She supposed it could have been worse. At least they would outlive her. Hopefully they would not be too sad, but they would surely be happy again one day. There was no better death than dying to protect them.

As her eyes began to adjust, Yang started to become skeptical about whether she was actually in heaven. If she was, the dress-code was drastically different than she had imagined. The simpler explanation was that she was alive and in a hospital. But could she really be alive? They had been hours from civilization and she was minutes from bleeding out when she had lost consciousness. She tried to look around. Her whole body felt heavy and strange but eventually she was able to force her head to turn to the side. There was Ruby, sitting beside her asleep. She looked as though she had been crying.

Yang struggled to speak but her body was uncooperative. She did not know if that was because of her injuries or from whatever medication they had been pumping into her. Finally she managed the slightest whisper. "Ruby." She said. She thought her voice sounded strange. Ruby remained asleep. Yang was starting to get her bearings and her body was finally starting to respond. "Sis." She said a little louder.

Ruby's eyes blinked open. She yawned and looked at Yang. For a moment she stared at Yang before almost jumping out of her chair in shock. "Yang?" Ruby said. "You're awake." She looked relieved but conflicted, almost afraid.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Yang asked. She would have expected Ruby to be ecstatic.

"It's just that...I can't do this." Ruby started sobbing. The others started to gather around.

"What happened?" Yang asked. As Yang's voice got stronger she found there was something different and unsettling about it, but she could not pinpoint the issue. "What's wrong?" The others stood around with pained looks on their faces. Some averted their eyes. "Tell me!"

"Someone has to tell her." Blake said. The others still demurred. "I guess it'll have to be me. After you lost consciousness General Ironwood arrived with a detachment of Atlesian soldiers. His medic started treating you, and you were rushed to the nearest hospital, but your injuries were very severe. Your body was failing. Ironwood had a way to save you, but...there was a price."

"What are you talking about?" Yang asked.

"Pyrrha couldn't imagine living without you." Blake continued. "We tried to talk her out of it, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."

"What happened?!" Yang demanded. "Is Pyrrha alright?!"

"It's...easier to show you." Blake sighed.

Weiss handed Blake a mirror and she held it in front of Yang's face. Pyrrha's green eyes stared back. When Yang blinked, they blinked. It all became painfully clear. "No...this can't...no!" Yang screamed. "I would never...why did she...I can't live with this!"

"Yang, calm down." Ren said, but Yang was already far beyond the point of calming down.

Red hair burst into flame and green eyes blazed red as Yang flew into hysterics. Suddenly all the metal in the room lifted into the air and began swirling around Yang in a deadly tornado as everyone around took cover. "No!" Yang screamed. "No-no-no-no-NO!"

"We need to sedate her!" One of the nurses shouted.

"How?" A doctor replied. "The syringes are metal."

"Why!?" Yang screamed. "Why did it have to be her!?" The storm of metal surrounding her grew faster and more violent as the flames in her hair grew more intense.

"Yang, calm down." A voice in her head said. "Please, listen to me." The fire in Yang's hair faded and her eyes returned to their normal violet as the metal clattered to the floor with an almighty racket. It was Pyrrha's voice. "I'm not gone. I'm still here with you. I always will be."

"But I…" Yang gasped. "I can't...without you…"

"You have to live for both of us now." The voice said. "I'll always be here for you when you need me. I love you."

"I love you too." Yang said. Her friends, along with the doctors and nurses stared at her in confusion and fear but Yang ignored them. "I always will."

The voice produced a familiar giggle. "I know."

* * *

 _Goodbye Blue Sky_

Qrow and General Ironwood arrived just after Yang lost consciousness, but it was already too late. Ironwood's medic did what he could but Yang was declared dead on arrival. Qrow disappeared and Ironwood took the group, along with the body, back to Patch. Yang was cremated and her ashes scattered to the winds. Blake went to Atlas with Weiss. Ren and Nora returned to Mistral to attend Haven. That left only Taiyang, Ruby and Pyrrha on Patch. It was even lonelier than that, as none had the heart to talk to the others. They grieved in isolation.

* * *

Ruby stood near the cliff's edge. Now two stones poked up from the snow. One was emblazoned with a rose and the words Thus kindly I scatter. The other bore a flame with the words Fire forever blazing. Ruby had thought no pain could compare to the loss of her mother. Yang's death proved her wrong. It was infinitely worse. She felt empty and hopeless. She had nothing left. Life was not worth living. The world was far too cruel a place and there was no solace left to be found.

Ruby had not eaten in days. She had no appetite, but it was also an intentional act, designed to weaken her aura to the point where it would not protect her from the slightest blow. It would make ending it all that much easier. Standing before the monuments she unfolded Crescent Rose and jammed the butt end into the ground, tilting the weapon so the blade sat inches from her neck. With a pull of the trigger it would slam back and bring her pitiful life to a swift and hopefully painless end. "I'm sorry mom." She wept. "I'm sorry sis. I just can't go on without you." She squeezed the trigger and a gunshot echoed through the forest.

* * *

Taiyang sat alone in the living room. Ruby and Pyrrha had gone out. He did not know where. He held a tear-stained picture of his family taken in happier times. Now half those depicted were dead. His greatest fear had come to pass. His daughter had come home in a box. He would have given anything to take her place, but that was not the way the world worked. He no longer had a desire to live but Ruby still needed him. She had been hit just as hard, maybe harder. Even as he was falling apart himself, he would have to support her as best he could.

There was a knock at the door. Taiyang sighed, wiped away his tears, and slipped the photograph into his pocket. He took a deep breath and put on a brave face before opening the door. Qrow stood there, hanging his head in shame. "I'm sorry." Qrow said. "I couldn't save her."

"This is your fault." Taiyang growled. His despair had quickly been replaced by rage. "If you hadn't…"

"I know." Qrow cut him off. Taiyang noticed something different about his manner of speech. "What I did is unforgivable."

"Are you sober?" Taiyang asked.

"Yes." Qrow replied. "I want to feel the pain." Taiyang was speechless. Ever since Summer's death Qrow had continuously drowned himself in alcohol. "Take this." Qrow handed Taiyang his blade. "Kill me. I deserve it. I won't resist."

Taiyang stared at the weapon, then at Qrow. He had fantasized about this moment, his opportunity to strike the bastard down, even before Yang's death. He gripped the sword, hefted it over his head, and cut diagonally toward Qrow's neck.

Qrow closed his eyes and waited for death. It did not come. He opened his eyes. The blade was inches from his neck. Taiyang stood as if frozen with tears streaming down his face. "Just do it already." Qrow implored. "Please."

"No." Taiyang said. He dropped the blade. "I can't."

"I want to die." Qrow said. "The things I've done…"

"No." Taiyang repeated. "I can't kill my friend."

"I thought we weren't friends anymore." Qrow said.

"I was wrong to say that." Taiyang said. "It's true, you've done some terrible things and cause me indescribable pain. But you're still my friend." He stepped forward and hugged Qrow. Qrow was shocked. "I forgive you."

* * *

Instead of slicing through her, Crescent Rose flew through the air, slamming to the ground across the clearing. Ruby stood there, hyperventilating, her eyes wide. Pyrrha stood nearby, having ripped the weapon away with her semblance at the last possible moment. "What are you doing here?" Ruby asked.

"Stopping you." Pyrrha replied.

"But how…" Ruby started.

"I found your note." Pyrrha said.

"Then you know why I have to do this." Ruby said. "Just let me die."

"No." Pyrrha said. "I can't let you throw your life away."

"What life?" Ruby asked. "I have nothing."

"You have your friends." Pyrrha said. "You have your father. Imagine how they'd feel if you killed yourself."

"Why do you even care?" Ruby asked. "You loved Yang, and it's my fault she's dead. If I didn't drag us out there on that stupid adventure, she'd still be alive. You should want me to die."

"How can you say that?" Pyrrha said. "It's not your fault. Even if it was, I wouldn't want you to die. I just want all my friends to be happy. Besides, it's my fault she died. She was trying to protect me. I was the target."

"But you were distracted by me." Ruby said. "If I hadn't been hurt…"

"Ifs will get us nowhere." Pyrrha said. "We both blame ourselves. If you killed yourself, I'd blame myself for that too."

"I just want it to end." Ruby cried. "It hurts too much. I can't go on."

"You have to, please." Pyrrha said. "I'll be here for you. I'll do anything I can to help you. I just...need you to live."

"Why do you care about me so much?" Ruby asked. "Why did you even stay here? Just seeing me must be such a painful reminder. You should want to forget. You should want to get as far away from here as you can."

"But I don't want to forget." Pyrrha said. "I want to remember Yang, all the fun, all the good times we had, all the love. How could I ever want to forget that? It hurts now, but one day, maybe one day I'll be able to look back and smile thinking about the time we spent together."

"I've felt this pain before." Ruby wept. "It never goes away. It never gets better. I don't want to feel it anymore. I just want it to end."

"Please don't give up." Pyrrha implored. "You're...all I have left. You're like your sister in so many ways. When I look at you it's like...it's like she lives on in you. I couldn't bear to lose you too. It would be like losing her twice."

"But I don't know if I can do it." Ruby sobbed. "It just hurts so much."

"I know, I'm hurting too." Pyrrha said. "But together I know we can get through it." Pyrrha walked up to Ruby and wrapped her in a hug, though the drastic difference in height made it awkward. Ruby squeezed back with bone-crushing intensity. For a moment Pyrrha could almost believe she was hugging Yang again. "Please don't give up. You have to live. You have to."

"I can try." Ruby said, choking back tears.

"I'll be here for you." Pyrrha said. "You'll never be alone." She squeezed Ruby as tightly as she could.

For a moment Ruby could almost believe she was hugging Yang again. It still hurt but perhaps it was not quite so hopeless. When Yang died she had felt so alone. She had lost her mother and now her sister. Her father was too emotionally destroyed to help. Her friends had drifted away, carried by their own despair. But maybe, just maybe, she was not as alone as she had thought. Maybe she could go on. For her father, for her friends, for Pyrrha, and most of all for Yang, she at least had to try.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Just a few notes on chapter and ending titles.

* * *

 _Chapter / Ending Name Meanings_

If you didn't notice, all the chapters and alternate endings had the names of Pink Floyd songs.

* * *

Wish You Were Here - It refers to the wish, mostly from Ruby but to a lesser degree from Yang and Pyrrha, to be reunited with their friends.

Fearless - A song about dealing with naysayers and opposition, it refers to the growing animosity between Qrow and Taiyang.

Coming Back to Life - This one comes down to a single line - "The killing the past and coming back to life." In defeating the Grimm the group in some ways kills the memory of their past failure, resulting in a new hope or life.

Sorrow - It's about the title. Pyrrha's sad.

On the Run - Again, all about the title. Pretty obvious.

The Dogs of War - Title again, pretty self-explanatory. Extra meaning because the 'dogs' are the Faunus of the White Fang.

Run Like Hell - Title based. This chapter has a lot of running in it. Taiyang and Winter do some running, and Blake discusses the reasons why she ran from the White Fang.

Learning to Fly - Title based once again. Rather than actually learning to fly in order to take down the Nevermore, Pyrrha comes up with a rather more creative method.

Terminal Frost - As a song with no lyrics, this is obviously a title one. A potentially fatal (potentially terminal) trip into the icy (frosty) mountains.

Marooned - Another song with no lyrics. After their shipwreck, the group is marooned on the coast.

One of These Days - Hey, it's one about the lyrics! And there aren't many. "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces." This is surely a sentiment shared by Neo and Yang about one another.

High Hopes - A hybrid of lyrics and title. The words speak of a journey (though the actual symbolism isn't as simple), and our group has certainly been through one. The title also refers to a positive outlook for the future, which I think this story ends with.

Welcome to the Machine - Well this is obvious and based on the title. Yang becomes a machine.

Brain Damage / Eclipse - Based on the lyrics: "There's someone in my head but it's not me."

Goodbye Blue Sky - Lyrics again. "The flames are all long gone, but the pain lingers on." Here the flames refer to Yang's life, and the pain the guilt felt by Ruby and Pyrrha because of her death.


End file.
